Magnussen’s final three race outings – the Chinese language GP, Miami dash and Miami GP – introduced him from three licence penalty factors to 10, simply two in need of the FIA’s restrict for F1 drivers incomes a race ban. This was launched into the FIA’s superlicence system in 2014.
Whereas his Shanghai and major Miami race penalties had been thought-about slam dunk instances given Magnussen’s actions put Yuki Tsunoda and Logan Sargeant out respectively in these occasions, his driving within the Miami dash actually ignited this saga.
His battling efforts to maintain Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton behind meant Magnussen was handed three 10-second time penalties for repeatedly leaving the observe and gaining benefits, plus one five-second penalty and a black-and-white warning flag for extra observe limits abuse.
Later, he was investigated over his actions and post-race feedback probably being thought-about unsportsmanlike behaviour.
This all adopted Magnussen utilizing related hard-racing ways again in March’s Jeddah race to forestall rivals from shifting clear and catching his Haas team-mate, Nico Hulkenberg.
On the eve of this weekend’s Imola occasion, it was revealed that the FIA is now contemplating altering F1’s sporting guidelines to imply such transgressions will accrue extra pricey drive-through sanctions.
Inevitably as he confronted F1’s media corps within the pre-event press convention for this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna GP, Magnussen was repeatedly requested concerning the state of affairs.
Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
After confirming that he’ll “need to” race otherwise to keep away from getting any extra penalty factors and “watch out to not get a race ban”, Magnussen questioned the stewards’ choices relating to his actions within the Miami dash.
“The truth that I am susceptible to a race ban for driving exterior of some white traces – on a bit of Tarmac – I do not know if I really feel that that’s proper,” mentioned Magnussen.
“However it’s the method the principles are. I settle for that however I really feel there may be room for enchancment there.
“Not solely by way of the [penalty] factors. There are extra races now than there was again after they had been launched and I really feel you’ll be able to find yourself getting a race ban successfully for a really minor factor. That is what I really feel.”
When requested by Autosport if he supported the FIA transfer to drive-through sanctions, Magnussen as a substitute provided an alternate answer.
“I believe one of the best factor could be for the FIA to inform us to present again positions after which the consequence for not doing that being harsh,” he defined.
“Like, actually harsh – so that you be sure that that is being accomplished. As a result of I believe it firstly will get too difficult and in addition too huge a consequence for [that infraction]. You’ve got to have the ability to depart a bit of little bit of room to go over the restrict after which come again from that.
“Whereas now, in the event that they choose it to be an unfair benefit and it is a drive-through penalty, I believe that is not good.”
There are further threads to observe via this saga.
Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The primary is that the replace to F1’s racing guidelines for 2024 meant off-track strikes comparable to Magnussen’s in opposition to Hamilton had been to be penalised with 10s penalties and never 5s as beforehand. The FIA has additionally launched a extra complete set of tips for a way racing clashes are assessed by its stewards.
Magnussen reckons his expertise of racing in numerous classes – his IndyCar and IMSA forays in 2021-early-2022 – highlights “with the rules this yr, a few of that’s going in opposition to the pure racing dynamic that we have all discovered from younger youngsters”.
“I’ve raced in IndyCar and I like the way in which they race over there,” he mentioned. “And I really feel the principles are very clear and quite simple, and the racing is nice.
“The racing needs to be nice amongst the 20 finest drivers on the planet [in F1]. I believe that can also be a part of [this].
“One factor is that the F1 drivers are quick but in addition superb at racing. And I believe it’s a must to showcase that – that needs to be a part of it. All of us got here from karting and discovered to race one another.
“And I really feel now actually for myself with the rules this yr, a few of that’s going in opposition to just like the pure racing dynamic that we have all discovered from younger youngsters.
“However that is a separate concern to the going off and holding individuals again and all of the stuff that I obtained penalties for. I believe that that may be solved with telling us to present again positions and the penalty for not doing being very, very harsh.”