For George Russell, Kevin Magnussen deserved his race ban for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Kevin Magnussen, Haas driver, will miss the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend. This suspension follows the accumulation of 12 penalty points over a year, in accordance with the FIA regulations. Haas has already announced that Oliver Bearman, its reserve driver, will take over this weekend and will be confirmed as a full-time driver next year alongside Esteban Ocon.

Towards the end of his career for Magnussen?

With 179 Grand Prix under his belt, Magnussen is getting closer to the end of his Formula 1 career and this suspension reduces his number of remaining appearances in the discipline. As he leaves Haas at the end of the year, he does not seem to be considered for another F1 seat.

As a reminder, the last driver to be banned from a race was Romain Grosjean in 2012, but this ban followed a serious accident at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix.

In the case of Magnussen, it is the accumulation of faults, and not a single major incident, that costs him this sanction. The Haas driver was dangerously flirting with this limit since the Miami Grand Prix, where he had accumulated five points in a single weekend.

Russell: “The penalties were not severe enough.”

George Russell, Mercedes driver and president of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), commented on this suspension, considering it justified. Interviewed by Crash.net, the British driver emphasized the importance of maintaining strict sanctions to preserve safety in F1: « No one has been banned in 12 years, so one could wonder if penalty points were severe enough?”

Russell notably highlighted recent incidents involving Magnussen, such as the one at the Monaco Grand Prix in May. At the start of the race, the Danish driver collided with Sergio Pérez, causing a huge accident that also led to his teammate Nico Hülkenberg retiring.

Magnussen had not been penalized, as the stewards were inclined to take a more lenient approach during first lap investigations.

Safety first

The GPDA strives to improve safety in F1 and to preserve the interests of drivers in general. However, Russell insisted on reminding that penalty points play an essential role in regulating the behavior of drivers. According to him, this prevents dangerous maneuvers from becoming too common: « We must also set a precedent for junior categories. One should not be able to get away with dangerous or erratic driving. At some point, you have to be punished for it. »

This suspension of Kevin Magnussen, while regrettable for the driver, highlights the importance of safety regulations in Formula 1, reminding that even veterans are not immune to the consequences of reckless driving.