F1: Kevin Magnussen Faces Azerbaijan GP Ban Following Monza Penalty
Kevin Magnussen has been handed an automatic race ban for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to accumulating 12 penalty points, making him the first Formula 1 driver since 1 2012 to reach this threshold.
By Divyam Dubey
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen has been handed a race ban following a collision with Alpine's Pierre Gasly during the Italian Grand Prix. Consequently, the Danish driver will miss the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix, for he has accumulated too many penalty points on his super license. Magnussen entered the Monza weekend with 10 penalty points, having already been penalised for incidents in Saudi Arabia, China, and Monaco earlier this season. Under the current regulations, drivers who accumulate 12 or more points within 12 months face an automatic one-race ban. Haas, however, has the option to appeal the penalty. The incident that triggered the ban occurred early in the Italian Grand Prix when Magnussen attempted to overtake Gasly at Turn 4. The Haas driver locked up his brakes, resulting in contact with the Alpine. Stewards subsequently penalised Magnussen with a 10-second time penalty and added further penalty points to his license.
Stating a breach of Article 4.2 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, the note reads, 'The Super Licence of the driver of Car 20 is suspended for the next Competition of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship. Following this suspension, 12 penalty points will be removed.'
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Before Magnussen, Romain Grosjean was the last Formula 1 driver to get a race ban. The French driver, racing for Lotus in 2012, was banned after triggering a multi-car collision at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix.
F1: Who Can Replace Magnussen in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Kevin Magnussen's race ban, confirmed by the FIA following the Italian Grand Prix, has paved the way for a potential early debut for Ferrari junior Ollie Bearman with the American team. The 19-year-old could step into the Haas F1 car in Azerbaijan if he opts to skip his Formula 2 weekend, as he did for his impressive one-off appearance with Ferrari in Jeddah.
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Pietro Fittipaldi, Haas' reserve driver, is unavailable for the Baku race, given his commitment to the IndyCar season finale in Nashville.
