Driver Pierre Gasly was also harsh on the penalty and consequent race ban Kevin Magnussen received after a slight touch in the Italian GP held at Monza. I feel for Magnussen, who drives for Haas and will not race in the next Formula 1 in Baku after being the first driver in the circuit’s history to receive 12 penalty points on his license in one year.
It is also a shocking and a sort of challenge for Haas as well, where their main representative will not participate in the upcoming events although they have many more choices to choose from. Let’s dive into the story to learn about Pierre said
Pierre Gasly Questions the Penalty
The Danish driver was penalised 10 seconds and two penalty points for an accident with Pierre Gasly during the Sunday race. Still, Gasly, who drives for Alpine, thinks that the penalty was wrong, and he is ready to talk with stewards to appeal against the ban.
Following Pierre Gasly’s protest, he also wanted to point out that such an incident did not deserve such a severe punishment and even promised to explain this to the stewards to change their decision. The same applied to Magnussen, who, by finishing 10th in Monza, could garner a single point yet was as perplexed by the penalty. He had no words to say but admitted that he was very frustrated due to the decision, saying he was confused; he stated that
“Frustrated about the penalty, I don’t understand it at all. Flat out, just completely confused,” Magnussen said. “Me and Gasly raced hard into Turn 4, we had slight contact, we both missed the corner, came back on track again, no damage to either car, no consequence to the race for either of us, and I get a 10-second penalty.”
Inconsistencies in Steward Decisions
Magnussen also pointed out the inconsistency in the penalties handed out by the stewards, citing an incident involving Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg earlier in the race; he mentioned that,
“On lap one, [Daniel] Ricciardo and Nico [Hulkenberg], Ricciardo put Nico in the grass at 300km/h, completely destroyed Nico’s race, massive consequence and damage to Nico’s car, and he gets a five-second penalty. Where’s the logic? I just don’t get it.”
Haas has not confirmed who will replace Magnussen for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. However, it is widely speculated that Oliver Bearman, who will make his full-time F1 debut with Haas in 2025, will step in for the race.
