F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes Haas’ Kevin Magnussen should have been penalized and handed a one-race ban following his involvement in Sergio Perez’s massive crash in Monaco.
Perez and Magnussen collided as the field scrambled up the hill towards Beau Rivage on the opening lap of the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Haas driver entered a gap on Perez’s right but the space predictably tightened which led to a contact and a chain reaction that sent the Red Bull driver heavily into the barriers and into the trajectory of Magnussen’s teammate Nico Hulkenberg.
All three cars were eliminated on the spot following the run-in, with Perez’s RB20 comprehensively destroyed.
While the stewards opted not to further investigate the crash, an unimpressed Villeneuve believes Magnussen got off lightly. The Danish driver sits precariously close to a one-race suspension, as two more penalty points on his super licence this season would trigger the first-ever automatic ban in F1 history.
"What was Magnussen thinking? He has been around for a long time," Villeneuve told website Best Online Poker Sites.
"The driver in front, in this instance Sergio Perez, won't be looking in his mirror. You give a quick glimpse, see the guy is not next to you and even if he is getting close, you take your line.
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"When you are the guy behind, you are the one supposed to be understanding what is happening in front of you and to be able to judge what will happen. There was obviously no room and a massive crash happened.
“Then, when he gets out of the car, Magnussen says, 'He should have given me space.' We have always been taught that the driver behind is responsible.
"If you want to go side by side you have to be side by side, not your front wing near the rear wheels. What is that all about?
"The fact is, Magnussen did not get out of the car and say, 'Oops sorry, I completely messed up.' Instead, he suggested it should have been the other way. Excuse me? What planet are we living on?
"The utter lack of comprehension on Magnussen's part befuddles me. We are in F1 here, not Formula 4 where a 15-year-old might not have that understanding yet.
“And the fact he was not even penalised shows that the system is not neutral. If he had been penalised he would have been banned for one race.
"They decided not to. Why have the rule in place? It was massive. It was dangerous. It was ridiculous. And he was 17th and 18th or something.
“He was not even going for the lead. Come on. First lap and you cannot even judge that. It is mad."
The Canadian's strong comments highlight the ongoing debate surrounding driver penalties and stewarding decisions.
Some believe the current system doesn't adequately address dangerous driving, while others argue for a more nuanced approach that considers race context and driver intent.
Magnussen's incident in Monaco serves as a flashpoint in this discussion, with Villeneuve's strong stance placing pressure on the FIA to ensure driver actions are held to a high standard.
Villeneuve called for a revision of the guidelines regarding wheel-to-wheel-racing.
"The way the rule is written is also a problem,” he added. “It is written badly.
“It says the guy in front has to leave room when it should say the guy in front is not allowed to run someone off the track. It is not the same thing.
"Leaving room means you are driving looking in your mirror and in effect saying, 'Please go here. I have got to give you space.' That is not what it is supposed to be.
“Whereas if the rule was, you are not allowed to push someone off the track would mean you are not allowed to look in your mirror and squeeze someone else on purpose.
“It is a fine line. The rule is written giving the responsibility to the guy in front, which is madness, complete madness."
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