Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix was a perfect example of mixed emotions. Kevin Magnussen scored a point with a strong drive, but he will miss the Azerbaijan Grand Prix because of a race ban as he accumulated 12 penalty points over the last year.
The 31-year-old Danish driver tried to make a move on Pierre Gasly into the second chicane on lap 18 for P13. However, they made contact as Magnussen locked up and his right front hit Gasly’s left front. They went across the run-off and continued.
The stewards were not impressed. He was handed a 10-second penalty and given two points on his licence.
As he did not pit again, it was added to his race time. Nonetheless, he finished P10, less than 0.2s ahead of Fernando Alonso. Magnussen was comfortably P9 on the road as Haas outpaced Williams and the other midfield teams on the day.
Speaking post-race, the 2014 Australian GP podium finisher was very unhappy. He was left confused and irritated by a lack of consistency in the penalties.
On the opening lap, Daniel Ricciardo squeezed Nico Hülkenberg on the grass and hurt the German’s race in the process. He was only given a 5-second penalty, however.
“Yeah, frustrated about the penalty, I don’t understand it at all. Flat out, just completely confused.
“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 or either of us. And I got a ten-second penalty.
“Then lap one, Ricciardo and Nico [Hülkenberg]. Ricciardo put Nico in the grass at 300 kilometers an hour, 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.”
Magnussen says there was no point trying to be conservative with the potential of a racing ban looming over him since early in the campaign.
The Danish driver has consistently been one of the more aggressive ones on the grid, especially in his time at Haas.
“I’m back in Singapore, zero points. Honestly, I only know that I have the two points from you, I haven’t heard it officially.
“I say it all the time, I’m not going to hold back, it doesn’t make sense. And I scored a point today.”
Asked what he takes from Monza, the former McLaren driver gave a humorous reply: “One point, and probably two penalty points.”
