Wild USA weekend

“He’s a danger!” Fierce criticism of Magnussen

Kevin Magnussen made few friends in Miami.

(Bild: AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Chris Graythen)

Kevin Magnussen did not make any friends at the race weekend in Miami. The Dane caused a stir with several unsportsmanlike acts. Fans, drivers and experts are in an uproar as a result. "It makes you lose respect. Above all, it costs money and also puts opponents at risk," rages Ralf Schuhmacher, for example. 

Magnussen caused quite a stir on the track in Miami. However, it was not a brilliant driving performance that brought the Dane into the headlines, but unsportsmanlike behavior. In the sprint race on Saturday, the 31-year-old repeatedly pushed his rival Lewis Hamilton off the track. 

The race stewards punished four offenses within just seven laps. The Dane was ultimately handed a 35-second penalty. However, it was apparently not a lesson for the Haas driver. His statements after the race also caused a stir in the paddock: "The penalties were all deserved, there's no doubt about that. But I had to play this game again". 

"Had to protect Nico"
What he meant by this was that Magnussen wanted to use these unsportsmanlike actions to keep Hamilton behind him by any means necessary so that Haas team-mate Nico Hülkenberg could finish in the points. "I had to use stupid tactics to protect Nico," said the Dane, justifying his racing behavior.

Statements that infuriated McLaren team boss Andrea Stella: "Maybe they should spend a weekend at home with their families and think about their sporting spirit before they come back," the Italian ranted. The stewards then spoke to Magnussen again, but refrained from imposing any further penalties. 

Impending race ban
During the race on Sunday, the Dane once again attracted unpleasant attention. The 31-year-old simply shot down local hero Logan Sargeant, indirectly promoting Lando Norris' first victory. Expert and ex-Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher was furious afterwards: "He was in the blind spot, but stayed on his line like a bull. That makes you lose respect. Above all, it costs money and also endangers the opponents."

Ralf Schumacher

(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU)

Magnussen will probably have to be more careful in future. It's not just drivers, fans and experts who are becoming increasingly disgruntled. After the first six races, the Dane has already collected ten penalty points. If two more points are added, the Dane faces a ban. He is also still fighting for a cockpit seat next year.