Kevin Magnussen’s F1 tactics have helped Haas — and put him in danger of a race ban

Should you’d have instructed Haas going into this System One season that, after Miami, it might have factors from 4 rounds and sit seventh within the championship, the staff would have been delighted.

A automotive that’s extra forgiving on its tires, mixed with some notably spectacular shows from Nico Hülkenberg, has put Haas a step forward of Williams, Sauber and Alpine thus far in 2024. It has surpassed all preseason expectations, set low after a tough finish to final yr, through which it completed final, and that resulted in Guenther Steiner’s offseason exit.

On a few events, the deciding issue to make the highest 10 has been Hülkenberg’s teammate, Kevin Magnussen, whose daring defensive ways — it wouldn’t be a stretch to name them aggressive — have helped his teammate snare a few additional factors.

However after a penalty-laden weekend in Miami, Magnussen will spend the remainder of the season getting ready to an F1 race ban for his driving habits, assuming he doesn’t set off it with yet another offense.

At a time when the gulf between F1’s quickest 5 groups and the slowest 5 is so nice, each single level is effective within the battle behind the grid, notably as every constructors’ championship place is price within the area of $12-15 million in prize cash.

Magnussen had this in thoughts in Saudi Arabia after selecting up a time penalty for a collision with Alex Albon early on and one other for passing Yuki Tsunoda off-track. Understanding his race was ruined by the added time, he obtained aggressive in his defensive strikes to assist Hülkenberg. By slowing down the vehicles he was combating, Magnussen created a spot that meant Hülkenberg may pit with out shedding a place, conserving tenth to attain a valuable level for Haas.

Publish-race, Hülkenberg thanked Magnussen for taking part in the staff recreation. Magnussen picked up three penalty factors for the collision with Albon, whereas the overtake on Tsunoda solely resulted in a 10-second time penalty — though it had price the vehicles behind much more.

Magnussen picked up one other two penalty factors in China for his collision with Tsunoda after the security automotive restart, placing him on 5 for the season. Any driver who accrues 12 penalty factors on their tremendous license in a 12-month interval is topic to a one-race ban, per the principles launched in 2014.

However it was within the Miami dash race that Magnussen did himself the true harm, once more to help Hülkenberg rating just a few factors. He went off-track on three events to assist keep forward of Lewis Hamilton, opening up a spot to Hülkenberg forward within the course of. Every triggered a 10-second time penalty that meant Magnussen was categorized final, however his actions have been efficient in permitting Hülkenberg to hurry away in entrance.

Magnussen was already conscious of the primary 10-second time penalty dropping him to final earlier than the second and third offenses, the latter additionally leading to three penalty factors on his tremendous license due to the frequency of the misdeeds. Publish-race on the radio, he talked about some “good teamwork”, and admitted afterwards to F1 TV that he needed to “needed to do my factor to guard Nico” who scored two factors for Haas in seventh.

“I needed to play the sporting recreation to not have him be overtaken as nicely,” Magnussen mentioned. “So, not the way in which I wish to go racing. However what I needed to do.”

The stewards investigated Magnussen for unsportsmanlike habits after the dash, given he so freely admitted to driving how he did to assist Hülkenberg, solely to deem this bar to be set too excessive for his actions. Magnussen obtained the penalties the laws dictate; in the event that they’re not extreme sufficient, that’s on the principles, not the driving force. The stewards did word the very fact the principles don’t deter the form of means Magnussen drove, and that they might “elevate explicitly” the matter with the FIA and the stewarding staff.

Magnussen agreed the principles may very well be improved. “Should you’re combating and also you do one thing that’s not allowed, it might be nice if the FIA had the ability to let you know to offer it again and swap positions,” he mentioned. “That means, it’s going to have an impact instantly and cease any video games being performed.”

Magnussen’s questionable ways stored Hamilton from passing his teammate Hülkenberg within the Miami Dash race. (Jared C. Tilton – System 1/System 1 through Getty Photos)

McLaren boss Andrea Stella was very unimpressed by Magnussen’s actions within the dash, calling them “unacceptable” and saying that penalties must be “exponential,” not cumulative. “5 plus 5 plus 5 ought to equal… possibly you’ll want to spend a weekend at residence with your loved ones, mirror in your sportsmanship after which come again,” Stella mentioned.

It’s going to require an in depth look from the FIA, whether or not it is a loophole it wants to shut to enhance driving requirements, or just a part of the sport. For now, it firmly stays the latter, and it’s one which Magnussen performed to perfection in Miami.

That’s to not say there is probably not a value to pay. The three penalty factors have been adopted by one other two on Sunday for his clumsy collision with Logan Sargeant, taking Magnussen as much as 10, two shy of a race ban.

It’s not the primary time a driver has reached this tally — Pierre Gasly spent just a few races on 10 factors in early 2023 — however will probably be the primary time a driver has to spend nearly all of the season with the specter of a ban looming.

Penalty factors are usually restricted to on-track incidents (the three for the repeated breaches of monitor limits was an exception), which means it’s more likely to solely be a collision with one other driver that may tip Magnussen over the restrict to 12. Magnussen received’t drop any of his factors till the beginning of subsequent season, which means he has one other 18 races to outlive with none extra incidents.

Had been Magnussen to be benched for a race, Oliver Bearman could be first in line to step in after his star flip for Ferrari in Jeddah. Bearman will participate in FP1 for Haas at Imola subsequent weekend, his first of six scheduled follow appearances with the staff over the course of the season.

Asking a driver to vary their strategy or be extra aware when in battle is way simpler mentioned than completed. For Magnussen, as profitable as his ways have been thus far in serving to Haas this season, they now go away him prone to spending a race on the sidelines barring a spotless the rest of the season.

(Lead picture of Kevin Magnussen: Track Haiyuan/MB Media/Getty Photos)