During the first lap of the Formula 1 race in the Mediterranean Principality, an incident occurred involving Magnussen, Perez, and Hulkenberg. As they were making their way uphill into Turn 3, Magnussen and Perez collided, causing Hulkenberg to also be taken out of the race. Magnussen has recently been in the spotlight for his questionable driving and is close to receiving a race ban due to penalty points. However, the racing stewards did not hold him responsible for the incident with Perez, deeming it a racing incident and taking no further action.
After the race, Perez and Magnussen engaged in a heated exchange, both claiming innocence. Perez criticized his rival, stating that the move was unnecessary and that he could not see Magnussen in his mirrors. However, footage from Perez’s onboard camera showed that he did, in fact, check his mirrors before the crash. Despite this, the collision occurred, fortunately without any injuries.
In Haas’ Monaco GP race report, Magnussen defended himself, explaining the sequence of events leading to the crash. He stated that his front tires were alongside Perez’s rear from the exit of Turn 1, as they approached Turn 3. Magnussen claimed that Perez moved towards the wall, which then moved back towards the track, leaving him with nowhere to go. He expressed his frustration with the crash, as it not only had a financial impact on the team but also required a significant amount of work to repair and replace parts.
Overall, the incident between Magnussen, Perez, and Hulkenberg during the Formula 1 race in Monaco was a result of a racing incident, with differing opinions on who was at fault. The aftermath involved a heated exchange between the drivers, each defending their actions. Magnussen emphasized the financial and logistical consequences for the team due to the crash.
Hulkenberg, supported his teammate, argued that Perez should have provided more room, he stated: “I’m disappointed and a little devastated to be honest to be eliminated after 500 meters.
“It’s obviously not ideal to have both cars out, and I was taken out by an incident in which I was not directly involved. Clearly, the path leading up to Turn 3 is quite narrow. It’s a great pity, things were becoming too close there, it was somewhat of a racing incident.
“Kevin’s move may have seemed overly optimistic – but Checo could have also seen him and given him space, so the outcome is obviously unfortunate,” the German, who is departing Haas for Sauber/Audi in 2025, concluded.
Another individual burdened by the crash was Haas Team Principal, Ayao Komatsu, who now faces the task of repairing his two cars, a task that requires a significant amount of funds that won’t be available for upgrades due to the F1 cost cap.
Komatsu commented: “Starting from P19 and P20, we had an alternative strategy plan to try to salvage something, but unfortunately our race ended on lap one.
“It has been a forgettable Sunday and we simply have to learn from this weekend and move forward, aiming for a good result in Canada,” he added.
It was indeed a weekend to forget for Haas, who were also disqualified from qualifying after both of their cars’ DRS systems were found to be in violation of the technical regulations.
If that had not been the case, Hulkenberg and Magnussen would have started the Monaco GP from 12th and 15th positions respectively.