For the first time in more than a decade, a driver has been banned from a Formula 1 race.
Drivers have missed single races during that time for other reasons – mainly illness – and their replacements have had varied success.
Nyck de Vries’s cameo at Monza in 2022 earned him a race seat and it could be argued Oliver Bearman’s appearance for Ferrari in Jeddah earlier this year did the same thing.
Haas have yet to confirm who will be replacing Kevin Magnussen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but the Brit will likely make his second appearance on the grid this year.
Magnussen has accumulated 12 penalty points within 12 months with his final incursion coming at Monza.
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Speaking on the RacingNews365 Podcast, journalist Ian Parkes has shared how one driver was so frustrated when they heard the news of the Dane’s ban that they said they were willing to go and speak to the stewards about it.
Alonso disagreed with Magnussen’s ban but it was Pierre Gasly who was left ‘aghast’ by the news.
Gasly and Magnussen had been battling during the race and a misjudged move by the 31-year-old saw their cars make contract and go off the track.
Neither suffered any damage and Martin Brundle has agreed that Magnussen’s punishment feels harsh.
Pierre Gasly left ‘aghast’ by Kevin Magnussen’s one-race ban
Parkes was speaking to Gasly after the race and recalled: “Yeah, I think for me, it was just Pierre’s reaction when he was informed in the pen post-race because the announcement from the FIA fell in between having spoken to Kevin and then having spoken to Pierre.
“Pierre didn’t know, he was aghast and I do not use that word lightly.
“The look on his face when he was informed that Kevin Magnussen would now be facing this ban after that particular incident, said it all because the bottom line for Pierre was OK, there was an overtake made by Kevin, it took them both off the track.
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“For Pierre, his point was such that I asked him the question, it wouldn’t make any difference, but do you want to go to the stewards and vouch for Kevin in this instance, if you’re saying it was a non-incident?
“And he said, yes, he was going to. But it’s all done and just you can’t do it, once something like that is there, apart from the actual team on the receiving end and the driver on the receiving end, trying to make an appeal, the opposing driver cannot go in aid that particular driver’s cause.”
Kevin Magnussen missing Baku as his F1 career comes to an end
Haas have already confirmed their driver line-up for the 2025 F1 season and so far, are the only team to have changed both of their drivers.
Nico Hulkenberg decided to move to Sauber – who are the other team who could switch both of their drivers – while Bearman and Esteban Ocon have been signed for next year.
That leaves Magnussen without an F1 drive for next year although he might not be too upset if his time in the sport is almost over.
He certainly wasn’t happy that he was set to miss the race in Baku as he looks set to complete his final season in the sport.
However, Magnussen has come back from being off the grid twice before and it’s impossible to rule the 31-year-old making one final comeback in the future.
