Kevin Magnussen might be a ‘great’ guy off the track, but according to Ralf Schumacher, when the visor comes down, it’s a different story. Schumacher believes the unpredictable driving style of the Haas driver could cost him a race ban before the season’s end.
This year, Kevin Magnussen has grabbed headlines for all the wrong reasons. His aggressive maneuvers have not only drawn the ire of his fellow drivers but have also led to several penalties. In Jeddah, he defended his position against Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon by going off the track, which earned him a time penalty. His antics didn’t stop there.
In Miami, Magnussen faced steeper penalties for multiple transgressions, including exceeding track limits. His defense against Lewis Hamilton earned him several time penalties and a black and white flag for persistent violations. By the end of the shortened race, he had racked up enough penalty points to stand just two points away from an automatic race ban.
Ralf Schumacher didn’t mince words on the Formula1.de YouTube channel, stating, ‘He will manage it this year too if he keeps going like this.’ The possibility of Magnussen receiving a race ban is very real, especially with him contesting the remainder of the season while sitting on ten penalty points. His points won’t reset until 9 March next year.
Magnussen was also involved in a controversial incident in Monaco, where he collided with Sergio Perez on the opening lap. Though the stewards decided no further action was necessary, Schumacher was critical, questioning Magnussen’s decision to put his car in a risky position. ‘Where would Magnussen have gone? He would have been on the outside in the next corner, so I didn’t understand the point of it,’ he said.
Schumacher continued, ‘Outside the cockpit, he is extremely nice and a great family man, but when the visor goes down, you almost get the impression that some of the things that are usually there are gone. Now you can say: Yes, Perez might have… but why is Magnussen there with the front wheel? He doesn’t belong there.’
With Magnussen’s potential ban looming, there are swirling rumors about his future with Haas. The team is rumored to be interested in signing Oliver Bearman for one of their 2025 seats. With Nico Hulkenberg moving to Audi, there was speculation Magnussen might stay to guide the rookie, but now Haas might be eyeing other drivers like Esteban Ocon or Guanyu Zhou.
Magnussen’s aggressive driving may soon lead to an automatic race ban, a prospect that could significantly alter his future in Formula 1. While he battles to finish the season, the speculation about his future with Haas only intensifies.
Source: Planetf1
