BREAKING: Haas F1 Team Fined After Magnussen Impedes Sainz in Monza
The Haas F1 Team has been hit with a €7,500 fine due to a costly error by driver Kevin Magnussen during Free Practice 1 (FP1) at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. The incident happened when Magnussen inadvertently blocked Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz at Turns 6 and 7, causing Sainz to abandon his fast lap. The stewards investigated and found that Haas should have alerted Magnussen about Sainz’s approach. Despite having sufficient telemetry and driver tracking data to provide a warning, the team failed to communicate effectively, leading to the fine.
The Incident and Its Fallout
The stewards’ report on the Haas F1 Team’s fine revealed that, while the incident was not considered dangerous, it was a clear breach of protocol due to the team’s failure to communicate. Although formal warnings are typically issued in such cases, the stewards took into account the track layout, which obscured Sainz from Magnussen’s view. The report highlighted that no warning about Sainz was given until he was right behind Magnussen. Additionally, Magnussen’s mirrors did not show Sainz due to the track layout and another car blocking the view. Considering these factors, the fine was reduced to €7,500, which is half of what might usually be imposed, reflecting both the non-dangerous nature of the incident and the mitigating circumstances.
Magnussen’s Penalty Points Worry
Along with the €7,500 fine, Kevin Magnussen now has 10 penalty points on his record. This brings him closer to the 12-point threshold that would lead to an automatic race suspension. The earliest date for a possible reduction of these points is March 9, 2025. This situation places additional pressure on both Magnussen and the Haas F1 Team to avoid further infractions.
The Official Statement
The official letter from the stewards outlined the following:
**Session:** Practice 1
**Fact:** Car 20 obstructed Car 55 in turn 7.
**Infringement:** Violation of Article 37.5 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.
**Decision:** A fine of €7,500 is imposed on the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team.
**Reason:** The Stewards reviewed statements from Car 20’s driver (Kevin Magnussen), Car 55’s driver (Carlos Sainz), team representatives, and analyzed data including positioning, marshalling system data, video footage, timing, telemetry, team radio, and in-car video. The team radio of Car 20 showed that Car 55’s approach was not communicated until Car 55 was directly behind Car 20. The driver of Car 20 stated that Car 55 was not visible due to the track layout. Additionally, a slower car was present between Cars 20 and 55 off the racing line. Car 55’s driver indicated that the situation was not hazardous. GPS data showed that Car 55 was closing in and passing other cars behind Car 20, suggesting that Car 20 should have received adequate prior warning. Normally, such incidents would receive a formal warning, but given the track layout’s impact on visibility, a warning was deemed unnecessary in this case. Although the team made an error, it was not considered dangerous, and as a result, the fine is reduced to half of the previous penalties issued this year.
New document: Doc 17 – Infringement – Car 20 – Impeding of Car 55 (Corrected)
Published on 30-08-2024 16:15 CEThttps://t.co/2C6fHzdstd#F1 #Formula1 #FIA #ItalianGP 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/ZA1jqTcL5U— FIA F1 Documents Bot (@fiadocsbot) August 30, 2024