Two Formula 1 drivers have voiced their opinion that Kevin Magnussen's one-race suspension is unjust.
On Sunday, the FIA confirmed that the Haas driver's super license would be suspended for the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
The suspension is automatic, as the 31-year-old Dane was handed two penalty points on his F1 license after a collision with Alpine's Pierre Gasly at Monza, bringing his total to 12 points, which triggers an automatic race ban.
Magnussen was shocked by the decision. "It doesn't change anything now," he said, "but I've spoken to the stewards so many times and I still don't understand what the rules are. It seems that they are interpreted arbitrarily."
"It also seems to me that they don't want racing. If what happened between Pierre and me isn't a racing incident, I honestly don't know what is. There was hardly any contact, no damage to the cars, and no problems for other drivers. We simply missed the corner - so what? We were racing."
"Then I saw that Nico (Hulkenberg) was pushed off the track by (Daniel) Ricciardo at almost 300kph, and I'm not saying he did it on purpose, but he got five seconds and I got ten seconds."
Magnussen remains defiant, acknowledging that he has been aware all season that he was approaching a suspension.
"I've always said that it wouldn't hold me back," he remarked.
Gasly, upon learning that Magnussen would miss the Baku race, was equally dismayed.
"To be honest, it was nothing," said the Frenchman right after the race on Sunday. "I hope that they can somehow change it, because it would certainly be very unfair. I'd like to stand up for him."
"I have to spend an hour for the doping control now, and after that, I'll see what I can do."
Despite Gasly's intentions, his efforts were unsuccessful, and a source at Haas suggested that the small American team does not plan to appeal the decision.
Veteran F1 driver Fernando Alonso echoed the sentiments of Magnussen and Gasly regarding the automatic suspension.
"As I've said many times, penalty points should be for dangerous behaviour - something that poses a danger to the sport and to others," commented the Aston Martin driver and two-time world champion.
"I think some of the points Magnussen has picked up, I don't have the list here, but some of them were just for things like speeding, white lines, starts. These sorts of things that are part of racing - that is a drive-through, that is a five-second penalty."
"I understand penalties, but points for these sorts of penalties are a bit hard to understand."
Haas is expected to call upon their confirmed 2025 rookie, current F2 driver Oliver Bearman, to replace Magnussen at Baku.
"We will inform about our second driver for Azerbaijan at a later date," a team spokesperson stated.
