Kevin Magnussen’s controversial actions during the Jeddah race received mixed reviews. While Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu praised his performance as “amazing” and acknowledged that it helped Nico Hulkenberg secure a valuable point, others, like RB sporting director Alan Permane, criticized the strategy as unsportsmanlike. Permane argued that the issue lies with the FIA’s penalty system, which the new-for-2024 changes have failed to address.
Magnussen’s contribution to Hulkenberg’s result was significant, but it came at the cost of sacrificing his own race. Despite facing penalties, Magnussen still had track position and the ability to influence the races of Hulkenberg’s competitors.
During the safety car period caused by Lance Stroll’s accident, Magnussen made a pitstop on lap seven, while Hulkenberg stayed out, allowing Haas to adopt a split strategy. Although Magnussen briefly climbed to eighth, he was soon overtaken by George Russell and Ollie Bearman, dropping back to 10th. Magnussen’s pass on Yuki Tsunoda on lap 17 played a crucial role, as it put him ahead of Tsunoda and the other cars that could potentially challenge Hulkenberg. However, Magnussen’s illegal overtake resulted in penalties that dashed his hopes of scoring points.
Haas instructed Magnussen to slow down and back up the chasing cars, starting from lap 20. Magnussen complied with the team’s request, ensuring Hulkenberg could build a comfortable gap. This strategic move allowed Hulkenberg to pit and re-emerge in 10th place. Despite Permane’s criticism of Magnussen’s actions, it is not uncommon for drivers to impede opponents to benefit their teammates.
The FIA has attempted to address this issue by introducing 10-second penalties for instances where drivers gain positions by leaving the track. However, in Magnussen’s case, the penalty was not enough to prevent him from achieving the desired track position. Permane and RB are likely to raise concerns about such tactics with the FIA.
While the rules technically allowed Magnussen and Haas to employ this strategy, Permane’s criticism of it being unsportsmanlike is valid. The problem lies with the FIA’s enforcement of the rules rather than Haas’ actions. As suggested by Albon, if the position had been ordered to be given back, this situation could have been avoided. The current penalty system should be revised to ensure a fair outcome, such as requiring drivers to relinquish positions gained off-track within a specified timeframe or face a drive-through penalty.
It is the responsibility of the governing body to close loopholes and ensure fair competition. Teams will always exploit any advantage available to them, including the rules as they are enforced. Therefore, it is crucial for the regulator to establish clear guidelines to prevent such situations from occurring.