Fernando Alonso Defends Kevin Magnussen After Controversial Race Ban Stuns F1 Community

Fernando Alonso expresses understanding for Kevin Magnussen after contentious race suspension

Fernando Alonso has shown empathy toward Kevin Magnussen in light of his recent race suspension.

Fernando Alonso, who has won the F1 world championship twice, showed support for Kevin Magnussen following the decision to ban the Haas driver from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Magnussen was given a 10-second time penalty and incurred two penalty points on his license due to a collision with Alpine driver Pierre Gasly at Turn 4.

This marks the first occasion since penalty points were introduced in 2014 that a driver has received a suspension for one race.

Gasly, who had a collision with Magnussen, confessed he was "taken aback" by the decision.

He expressed his surprise upon hearing that the other person received a 10-second penalty. He acknowledged the attempt made but noted that it was just a bit of wheel-to-wheel racing and ultimately, he didn't lose any time.

“I really hope they can change their decision because it would be extremely unjust. I'll gladly do my part—I'll check what actions I can take. It would seem very unfair considering the nature of the incident.”

Alonso has recently joined others in supporting Magnussen and has raised concerns about the FIA's method of assigning penalty points.

Following Sunday's race, he remarked, "Absolutely. Penalty points should be reserved for hazardous driving, as we've frequently mentioned. They should apply to actions that pose a risk to the sport and to other participants."

"I'm not entirely certain about the specifics of some of the points he earned. I don't have the details in front of me. However, often these points come from various infractions like crossing the pit lane boundary, unsafe releases, and similar incidents. This is all just part of the racing experience."

"This is a drive-through penalty. It will add five seconds to your time. While I grasp the rules for racing infractions, the ones related to safety are more confusing to me."

Haas has not yet revealed who will take Magnussen's place, but Oliver Bearman is the leading candidate for the Baku race.

Bearman is set to join the team and race with Esteban Ocon in 2025.

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