Although the FIA is not impressed by Kevin Magnussen’s driving behavior during the sprint race in Miami, the Haas driver avoids a penalty for alleged “unsportsmanlike behavior.” However, the motorsport body will examine whether the number of penalty points that are awarded if a rider commits multiple violations in quick succession should be increased in the future.
The sprint race preceding the Miami Grand Prix only consisted of nineteen laps, but that was enough for Kevin Magnussen to face a total time penalty of 35 seconds and three penalty points on his super license. In a battle with Lewis Hamilton, the Haas driver cut a chicane, among other things, and forced the Mercedes driver off the track twice, in an attempt to create a gap for teammate Nico Hülkenberg, so that the German – driving in P8 – had the last point to be earned before the team could win. This brings Magnussen’s total number of penalty points to eight, meaning the Dane must beware of a suspension.
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Alleged unsportsmanlike behavior Magnussen
After the sprint race, Magnussen had to report to the stewards, because they were examining whether he had been guilty of “unsportsmanlike behavior”, an offense that carries heavy penalties in Formula 1. However, the stewards decided after a long meeting that no further action is required. The FIA document reads: “The stewards are aware of the interview that the driver of the starting number 20 car gave immediately after the session, where he said, among other things: ‘I used these stupid tactics, which I don’t like to do. But I did my job as a team player. Nico scored points today because I created the gap for him.’ During the hearing, the driver confirmed that these statements were correct.”
Looking at change
The stewards explain that the standards for determining unsportsmanlike conduct must be extremely high, and that the evidence for determining unsportsmanlike conduct must be clear, because finding someone guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct is a serious matter: “Despite that “We do not agree with the way car 20 drove today – in particular the various offenses where he left the track – we do not believe these actions rose to the level of unsportsmanlike conduct.” However, the FIA will look into whether the number of penalty points awarded if someone commits multiple violations should be increased in the future, to “discourage scenarios like today’s.”
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