Kevin Magnussen, the driver of the Haas VF-24, was involved in the Formula 1 World Championship race known as the Miami Grand Prix in Miami, Florida, USA on May 4, 2024. During the Sprint race, Magnussen received three penalties for repeatedly leaving the track and gaining an unfair advantage over Lewis Hamilton. However, despite these penalties, the stewards have cleared Magnussen of “unsportsmanlike” conduct.
After the Sprint race, Magnussen admitted to using similar tactics in a previous race in Saudi Arabia to help his Haas teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, improve his chances of scoring. He acknowledged that the three 10-second penalties were deserved and stated that he resorted to “stupid tactics” that he did not enjoy using.
Magnussen’s driving and his comments led to an investigation by the stewards to determine if he had violated any rules of sportsmanship. In their report, the stewards noted that Magnussen believed he was entitled to race in the manner he did and accepted the standard penalties that would be imposed on him for any infractions. He also believed that building a gap between himself and the cars ahead was within the regulations and a common practice to assist a teammate during a race.
The stewards concluded that there was no clear evidence of intentional unsportsmanlike behavior on Magnussen’s part and cleared him of any wrongdoing. However, they did express disagreement with the way he drove his car and suggested that the rules should be altered for repeat offenders in a single event. They plan to raise this issue with the FIA and the Stewarding team.
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella criticized Magnussen’s driving and suggested that he take some time off to reflect on his sportsmanship.