Race ban looms for Magnussen after penalty-filled Miami weekend

Kevin Magnussen’s defensive tactics and a clash with a mid-field rival in the Miami Grand Prix have landed the Haas driver precariously close to a Formula 1 race ban.

Over the Florida race weekend, the Danish driver racked up a hefty five penalty points on his super licence for various offenses, taking his 12-month tally to 10, or two points away from a proper one-race ban.

On Saturday, Magnussen resorted to his perfected array of defensive antics to keep Lewis Hamilton at bay while allowing Haas teammate Nico Hulkenberg to keep himself in the points.

The ploy proved successful, at least for Haas and Hulkenberg, while Magnussen was handed 35 seconds worth of time penalties and 3 penalty points added to his licence.

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Magnussen at least acknowledged that the penalties were "well-deserved," but lamented the situation: “I had to play the team game again, which meant employing stupid tactics that I don't enjoy."

Unfortunately, Magnussen’s troubles continued on Sunday. On lap 28, an optimistic move on Williams’ Logan Sargeant earned him a 10-second time penalty and another trip to the stewards’ office where he was given two additional penalty points.

The FIA's sporting regulations stipulate that a driver accumulating 12 penalty points within a rolling 12-month period faces a one-race suspension.

Magnussen must therefore tread very carefully until early March 2025, or for another 19 races. A risky situation for the Dane that has now placed Haas reserves Pietro Fittipaldi and Oliver Bearman on high alert.

After last Sunday’s race in Miami, a clearly frustrated Magnussen had little to say about his situation.

“I better not [say],” the Dane told the media. “Better not comment”.

He was also reticent to respond to comments made on Saturday by McLaren team boss Andrea Stella who called Magnussen defensive tactics “completely unacceptable” and suggested that the FIA must intervene to sanction more harshly repeat offensives.

“You’re right,” quipped Magnussen when it was inferred that he didn’t want to comment on Stella’s criticism.

One more reckless move and the Haas charger could be spending a weekend in the penalty box. So it looks like those daring defensive tactics might need a bit of a rethink!

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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.