During the Miami GP Sprint, Kevin Magnussen received several time penalties.
Courting controversy with his defensive tactics in Miami, Lando Norris reckons what Kevin Magnussen did was “smart” even if it was “cruel” on Lewis Hamilton.
Magnussen switched to a defensive stance during the Sprint race to hold off Hamilton and maintain his position behind Hulkenberg, allowing Hulkenberg to extend his lead.
‘He did nothing to deserve to get black-flagged’
The Dane successfully maintained his position and stayed ahead of Hamilton by repeatedly venturing off the track, lap after lap.
He acknowledged to the stewards that he was aware of the impending penalties, but he believed he had the right to race alongside Car 44 in the manner he did.
Magnussen’s mischievous behavior resulted in him receiving three time penalties, in addition to accumulating three penalty points on his Super Licence, ultimately elevating his total count to eight.
But they also helped earn Haas two World Championship points for Hulkenberg’s P7, the American team up to seven for the season to sit P7 in the Constructors’ Championship.
The other thing he earned was the ire of many in the paddock with Norris’ team boss Andrea Stella calling for a one-race ban as Magnussen was investigated, but cleared, of unsportsmanlike behaviour.
The McLaren boss stated that the case is quite straightforward for him, as it involves intentional behavior aimed at causing harm to a fellow competitor.
“Why does this behavior persist within the same race and continue throughout the same season? Shouldn’t penalties accumulate exponentially rather than just cumulatively?”
“Contrary to the belief that five plus five plus five equals 15, it might be wise to take a weekend off, spend quality time with your family, contemplate on your sportsmanship, and then resume.”
PlanetF1.com recommends
Follow PlanetF1.com’s WhatsApp channel for all the F1 breaking news!
F1 penalty points: Kevin Magnussen joins top of growing list near race ban threshold
Norris, however, sees no problem with Magnussen’s actions, comparing them to similar tactics employed by Fernando Alonso in Monaco before.
He conveyed to the media, “Imagine a scenario similar to Monaco, where your teammate is in the ninth position or so. You manage to overtake them and execute a move akin to Fernando from a few years ago, where he skillfully blocked all other competitors on the track.”
“You took a shortcut to pass someone, fully aware that you would face a penalty, but you managed to save your teammate, allowing him to make a pit stop.”
“You have the ability to achieve it. You are aware that there may be consequences, but you displayed excellent teamwork. The outcome ultimately relies on how determined you are to challenge those limits.”
In my opinion, the actions taken by the other driver may come across as harsh and challenging to accept. Nevertheless, I do believe that their decision was clever.
“He wasn’t deserving of being black-flagged since all he did to receive penalties was simply running off and refusing to relinquish the position.”
“We have mentioned that to the stewards on multiple occasions.”
Read next: Red Bull drivers to be split, Russell to beat Hamilton and more Miami GP predictions
