After a controversial weekend, there’s a push for harsher F1 penalties. Could this change the nature of racing discipline?
Formula 1 is urged to change its course as Kevin Magnussen teeters on the brink of a racing ban following a nightmarish weekend at the Miami GP for the Haas F1 driver.
The Dane arrived in Miami still recuperating from a virus contracted in Shanghai, before being accused of “unsportsmanlike behavior” for his driving during the sprint race.
Magnussen, who has not yet secured a contract for 2025, admitted to employing extreme tactics to keep cars behind him to protect his teammate Nico Hulkenberg’s position.
The FIA cleared Magnussen of unsportsmanlike conduct, but he incurred so many time penalties—four in total—that he finished last.
Race stewards imposed no fewer than five penalty points on Magnussen’s super license over the weekend, doubling his total in just two days. With 10 penalty points, if his total increases by two more before next May, he will face an automatic one-race ban (read the full article here).
Peter Bayer, CEO of RB F1 team, believes the FIA needs to clamp down on tactics like those used by Magnussen.
“The FIA should consider this,” he said. “There needs to be more than just 10-second penalties or penalty points.”
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, however, thinks that the total of 65 seconds added to Magnussen’s race times (Sprint and Grand Prix) in Miami was excessive.
“Even though he said the penalties were well deserved, the GPDA should not stop there. A different approach is needed.”
Magnussen’s former boss, Gunther Steiner, stated, “You have to play fair. You can be aggressive, but we are seeing this type of behavior for the second time now (after Jeddah).”
“As a driver, you cannot be proud if you spoil someone else’s race.”
Steiner believes that time penalties are not sufficiently deterrent.
“Once you’ve got the first ten seconds, it doesn’t matter if you have ten more. Why not a mandatory pit stop?”
“You must serve your penalty within three laps maximum and you can no longer cause trouble.”
McLaren F1 boss Andrea Stella thinks Magnussen should already be serving a race ban for his behavior in Miami.
“I was already unhappy with what he did after the Sprint. But in the race, it was hardly better. A suspension race to think about it, as I said, during a weekend at home with your family.”
Oscar Piastri has a different idea.
“All these problems would be solved if the FIA said, ‘You must give back that position, otherwise it’s a trip through the pit lane.’ That would calm a lot of people down.”
Magnussen was also blamed for the collision with Logan Sargeant that triggered the deployment of the safety car during Sunday’s race.
“Magnussen should reflect on his risk management,” continues Ralf Schumacher.
“He was in the blind spot, but he stayed on his line like a bull charging at its prey. This loses you respect. It costs teams money and also puts your competitors in danger.”
“There also needs to be some fairness. Hard but fair, okay. But just going in with the mindset ‘Well, if I crash, what do I have to lose? If I don’t score points, might as well crash.’ That’s the mentality behind it all.”
“This obviously cannot continue. There are penalties for this in Formula 2 and Formula 3 that are enforced more strictly. Why not in F1? Why protect them too much? There are plenty of good reserve drivers waiting for their chance.”
Magnussen’s F1 Penalties Prompt Calls for Severity. Magnussen’s F1 Penalties Prompt Calls for Severity. f1 2024 Magnussen’s F1 Penalties Prompt Calls for Severity
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