F1 News: Kevin Magnussen Creates Havoc At Imola Grand Prix As FIA Discusses Regulation Changes

Alex Harrington | May 15, 2024

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Hass driver Kevin Magnussen (20) on the grid before the F1 / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Following recent incidents involving Kevin Magnussen during the Miami Grand Prix Sprint weekend, the FIA is contemplating stricter penalties for drivers in Formula 1. The incidents sparked a review of existing penalty structures which many deem insufficient to deter unsportsmanlike conduct, which the Danish driver admitted he'd shown examples of.

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen was penalized multiple times for repeatedly leaving the track to gain an advantage over Lewis Hamilton. Despite receiving three 10-second penalties and a subsequent 5-second penalty, Magnussen’s driving has highlighted potential gaps in the effectiveness of current FIA regulations. While the driver's intentions were clear - form a barrier so teammate Nico Hulkenberg could continue his success in the points - the driving was deemed to be unnecessary by fans.

The scene has drawn criticism from other teams, with McLaren Team Boss Andrea Stella labeling the behavior as "unacceptable" and suggesting such actions merit race bans.

"Unacceptable and deserving of a race ban," Stella argued. "Decision to raise the punishment from five to 10 seconds does nothing to deter drivers."

In contrast, Hamilton enjoyed his duel with Magnussen:

"I think we had a good race. It was a little bit on the edge in some places, but that’s what I love, I love racing hard," he said.

“For me, I wasn’t really p***ed or anything. That’s what you do to work as a team, so bravo.”

Responding to growing calls for change, the FIA is now considering several adjustments to its penalty system. Among the propositions is the implementation of drive-through penalties for deliberate track-cutting incidents, forcing drivers to give up their place. On top of this, the FIA is discussing the possibility of applying even harsher penalties for repeated offenses during a single race, such was the case in Miami.

The topic of appropriate penalties will be further examined in a meeting scheduled to take place during the team managers' briefing at the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola this weekend. Representatives from teams and stewards will convene to debate these potential changes to ensure they address concerns across the board without compromising the sport's integrity.

Stella was one of many team bosses to take notice of the Haas driver's behavior:

“How can penalties be accumulative? They should be exponential. It is not five plus five plus five equals 15.

“Five plus five plus five equals maybe you need to spend a weekend at home with your family and reflect on your sportsmanship and then go back…” he said.

“It is completely unacceptable. It makes no sense from a sportsmanship point of view and this should be addressed immediately."