Formula 1 Miami GP
Why Magnussen is racing rest of 2024 season under threat of F1 race ban
Kevin Magnussen is racing for the rest of the Formula 1 season under the threat of a race ban following the latest penalty points being added to his licence.
Jonathan Noble Mandy Curi
Published: May 7, 2024, 8:00 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Dane had an incident-filled time in Miami last weekend as he got involved in skirmishes in both the sprint and the grand prix.
But it was the two penalty points he was given for colliding with Logan Sargeant in the race that has left him with a total of 10 on his licence, meaning he is just two away from an automatic race ban.
Should he hit the mark and earn any more points over the remainder of the campaign, then he will become the first driver to fall foul of the totting-up process.
Remarkably, Magnussen had come into the 2024 campaign with no points on his licence, and everything has been earned since his controversial driving at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix where he collided with Alex Albon.
With points staying on a driver's licence for a period of 12 months, it means his first lot will not be wiped away until March 9, 2025, which is the week before next year's season gets underway in Australia.
Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Magnussen's 10 penalty points have been earned from four incidents this year. They are:
SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX – 3 points
For being wholly or predominantly to blame for a collision with Alex Albon
CHINESE GRAND PRIX – 2 points
For being predominantly to blame for a crash with RB's Yuki Tsunoda
MIAMI GRAND PRIX SPRINT – 3 points
For leaving the track and gaining an advantage during his battle with Lewis Hamilton.
MIAMI GRAND PRIX – 2 points
For being wholly to blame for a collision with Logan Sargeant
As well as being given penalty points, Magnussen's driving has been under the spotlight on occasion too when he has adopted some robust defending against rivals in a bid to help act as a roadblock to protect his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.
In Miami, he was summoned to face allegations of unsportsmanlike behaviour for how he drove in the sprint, but the FIA stewards felt that he had not acted with such bad faith that it warranted a separate sanction.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was outspoken, however, in saying that repeat offences needed to be treated more harshly.
"We have a case of behaviour being intentional in terms of damaging another competitor and this behaviour is perpetuated within the same race and repeated over the same season," Stella said.
"How can penalties be accumulative? They should be exponential. It is not five plus five plus five equals 15. Five plus five plus five equals maybe you need to spend a weekend at home with your family and reflect on your sportsmanship and then go back."
However, being so close to a ban means that Magnussen may now think twice before doing anything out of the ordinary because he knows the risk could be real of the stewards handing him some more penalty points.
It could explain why he was uncharacteristically monosyllabic in the post-race media pen in Miami on Sunday after learning about the penalty he picked up for the Sargeant collision.
Here is how his conversation went:
What are your thoughts on the Logan situation?
KM: I better not... better not comment.
So you are not happy?
KM: No.
Do you think the penalty was incorrect?
KM: Better not comment.
So I take it you don't want to comment on Stella's comments about you?
KM: You're right.
Okay. Do you need some answers and clarity on racing rules?
KM: Yeah.
Read Also:
Formula 110 things we learned from the 2024 F1 Miami Grand Prix
Formula 1Sainz "could have won" F1 Miami GP by pitting one lap later
Formula 1Wolff sees “no relevance” to Mintzlaff’s Verstappen pursuit criticisms
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Norris pleased to prove doubters wrong after maiden F1 win
Next article Sainz singled out by Sauber as top target for Audi F1 era
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jonathan Noble
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Latest news
Jesse Love barely holds off Sam Mayer for NASCAR O'Reilly win at Phoenix
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
36 min
Jesse Love barely holds off Sam Mayer for NASCAR O'Reilly win at Phoenix
Lando Norris faces anxious wait as F2 prepares to decide future of his racing team
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
3 h
Lando Norris faces anxious wait as F2 prepares to decide future of his racing team
NASCAR Cup Phoenix starting lineup: Blaney earns pole as Larson struggles
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
4 h
NASCAR Cup Phoenix starting lineup: Blaney earns pole as Larson struggles
Ryan Blaney kind of faces a must-win scenario this weekend at Phoenix
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
5 h
Ryan Blaney kind of faces a must-win scenario this weekend at Phoenix
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe