November 21, 2024

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen will be suspended from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after exceeding the permitted number of penalty points in a year.

The Dane was given a 10-second penalty and two penalty points on his licence for a collision with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly during the Italian Grand Prix.

That took him to a total of 12 points in a calendar year – and rules dictate that means an automatic race ban.

Haas have not said who will replace Magnussen for the race in Baku on 13-15 September, with Briton Oliver Bearman – who they have signed for 2025 – and reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi among their options.
Magnussen questioned the decision to penalise him for the incident, which happened when he crashed into the side of Gasly’s car on the inside at the second chicane.

“Me and Gasly had slight contact, no damage on either car, no consequence in the race, we just had slight contact and missed the corner, and so what? We were racing,” Magnussen said, before his ban was confirmed.

He added: “I have spoken to [the stewards] so many times, and I still don’t understand what the rules are.

“They don’t want racing, that’s what it seems to me, if this thing between me and Gasly can’t be deemed a racing incident then I don’t know what can, it doesn’t make sense.”

Magnussen drew a parallel with another incident in the race, between his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg and RB’s Daniel Ricciardo, to suggest the stewards were not being consistent.

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