Magnussen handed Mexican GP grid penalty

©Haas

Kevin Magnussen has been handed a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's Mexican Grand Prix following an ICE replacement on the Dane's Haas.

Magnussen's VF-22 was entrusted to Pietro Fittipaldi in FP1 as part of Haas' mandated rookie driver program. But the Brazilian was forced to pull off the track after just nine laps.

The US outfit diagnosed a power unit issue that required a brand-new internal combustion engine. It was Magnussen's sixth such element this season which equated to an inevitable grid drop.

2022 Mexican Grand Prix Free Practice 2 - Results

"We had to change the engine afterwards and the team did a fantastic job to get Kevin out with only a 30-minute delay," commented Haas team boss Guenther Steiner.

"Kevin could then get a program with the prototype tyres in, but there obviously wasn’t enough time to get the race tyres on but at least he got back out on track and a little bit of experience.

"Now we need to do a solid job in FP3 to get ready for qualifying."

"We had to use the test tyres from Pirelli so the running we did today isn’t super relevant," added Magnussen.

"But I still got a good feeling for the track and I got into the rhythm of Mexico City."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.