During the Miami GP Sprint, Kevin Magnussen was subjected to several time penalties.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes behaviour of the kind Kevin Magnussen showed in Miami should be punished with a race ban.
During the Sprint at the Miami Grand Prix, the Haas driver received several time penalties due to his vigorous defense against Lewis Hamilton. He repeatedly veered off the track and gained an unfair advantage.
Andrea Stella calls for race bans for ‘completely unacceptable’ Kevin Magnussen behaviour
Following the Sprint race in Miami, the stewards conducted a thorough investigation into the alleged unsportsmanlike conduct of the Haas driver. However, no additional measures were taken against the driver as a consequence of their findings.
After the Sprint, Magnussen confessed that he probably deserved the penalties. His race time had been extended by 25 seconds, and as a result, the FIA issued him three penalty points on his Super Licence.
The punishment brings him dangerously close to a race ban with only four penalty points remaining, yet McLaren team boss Stella firmly believes that intentionally driving in a manner to prevent another car from overtaking should warrant an instant ban.
“In my opinion, this case is quite straightforward as we have clear evidence of intentional behavior aimed at harming a competitor,” Stella informed the media in Miami.
The perpetuation of this behavior occurs within the same race and is consistently repeated throughout the season. One may question the rationale behind penalties being cumulative rather than exponential.
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Lewis Hamilton reacts to Kevin Magnussen response after ‘stupid tactics’ used in Miami Sprint
Perhaps you should consider spending a weekend at home with your family, reflecting on your sportsmanship, and then return. It’s not simply five plus five plus five equals 15.
“If we observe that you have developed loyalty, fairness, and good sportsmanship towards your fellow competitors, you will be allowed to remain in this industry. This behavior is entirely unacceptable.”
Oscar Piastri, the McLaren driver, expressed concerns about the remarks made by Magnussen after the Sprint race, stating that they establish a dangerous precedent. He pointed out that drivers openly accepting penalties to benefit their teams could have significant consequences, as seen with Nico Hulkenberg benefiting from his teammate’s actions in Miami.
Piastri commented on Magnussen’s post-race remarks, stating that he acknowledged his fair share of penalties and believed he deserved them.
In my opinion, it is concerning that the driver who is receiving the penalties is admitting that he deserves them. This chosen approach does not establish a positive example for others to follow.
In my opinion, it’s one thing to attribute penalties to uncertain circumstances or feeling unfairly treated, but when there are numerous penalties and the response is “Yes, I deserve them all,” I find it quite mediocre. It’s simply unacceptable.
“I believe this establishes a highly precarious precedent that warrants stricter enforcement.”
Read next: FIA explain why Lewis Hamilton avoided punishment with three collisions triggered in Miami
