Kevin Magnussen’s Controversial Tactics Draw Criticism from Former F1 Boss –
Relentless Track Limit Violations
Kevin Magnussen faced a torrent of penalties during the Miami Grand Prix weekend for repeatedly exceeding track limits. The Danish driver accumulated three 10-second time penalties and a five-second penalty for track limit violations, primarily while defending his position against Lewis Hamilton. Magnussen’s actions have pushed him perilously close to a race ban, with 10 penalty points already amassed in just six races.
"All the penalties were fair, but I had to do my thing to protect Nico"
Straight talking from @KevinMagnussen #F1Sprint #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/LIeXcWowmv
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 7, 2024
Guenther Steiner Weighs In
Guenther Steiner, Magnussen’s former team principal at Haas, did not mince words when evaluating the Dane’s tactics. “It has to be fair play. You can be aggressive, but we’ve seen this game for the second time,” Steiner told Sky Deutschland, referring to a similar incident involving Yuki Tsunoda in Jeddah.
“As a driver, you can’t be proud if you ruin someone else’s race,” Steiner asserted, suggesting that a drive-through penalty would be a more effective deterrent for repeat offenses than incremental time penalties.
Magnussen’s Justification
While acknowledging that his penalties were “well deserved,” Magnussen defended his actions as a necessary sacrifice for the team’s benefit. “I started using these stupid tactics, which I don’t like doing,” he told Sky Sports F1. “But, at the end of the day, I did my job as a team player.”
Magnussen claimed his tactics created a gap that enabled his Haas teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, to secure points by keeping Hamilton and Tsunoda at bay. “Not the way I like to go racing, at all, but [was] what I had to do today,” he added.
Expert Opinion:
“Magnussen’s tactics, while potentially effective for his team in the short term, raise ethical concerns and undermine the principles of fair play that should govern motorsport,” commented racing analyst Emily Jenkins. “Such actions not only risk penalties but also tarnish the reputation of the driver and the sport itself.”
