The start of the Monaco Grand Prix was incredibly dramatic and ended the hopes of Sergio Perez and both Haas drivers earning anything from the race weekend.
Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg had a weekend to forget and were back in the paddock watching on before the second restart caused by a red flag.
The Danish driver is closing in on a one-race ban and David Coulthard has explained on Channel 4 how Magnussen avoided earning any penalty points in Monaco.
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David Coulthard shares the one thing that stopped Kevin Magnussen from receiving a ban after Monaco Grand Prix crash
It was a frustrating weekend for all three drivers involved in the collision heading up Beau Rivage on the opening lap.
Sergio Perez needed a strong weekend after a disappointing 8-place finish the previous weekend in Imola.
However, he was eliminated in Q1, posting a slower time than Williams driver Logan Sargeant.
He was promoted two positions up the grid thanks to both Haas cars being disqualified.
A technical infringement due to a new part on their rear wing meant Hulkenberg and Magnussen lined up 19 and 20, and former boss Guenther Steiner couldn’t help poking fun at this old team.
The 31-year-old had the best start of the trio, surging down the inside of the first corner while Perez was almost at a standstill as the grid funnelled through the right-hander.
Magnussen spotted an opportunity driving alongside Perez but ran out of room as is so often the case in Monaco and Coulthard believes only one factor stopped him from earning a one-race ban.
The Haas driver has earned 10 penalty points already this season and once you reach 12, you have to sit out of a race.
The crash wasn’t investigated by the stewards much to the bafflement of Sergio Perez who said: “If you see my onboard, at no point you see Kevin’s car – not even close to me, alongside me, and you could see that the wall is just getting closer and closer.
“I’m very surprised [the incident was not investigated] because [of] the amount of damage and how dangerous the damage was. I’m really surprised.”
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Talking about the incident, Coulthard said: “Well, I think that given that Kevin Magnussen has a number of points on his license, no harm in sticking your nose in, but at this point, he should have been backing out.
“You can see that’s [the track] about as straight as a not very straight thing and once that contact was made, that’s a huge energy crash at the beginning of a Grand Prix, the car heavy with fuel as well.
“You can see [Sergio] Perez looks in the mirror but then at the point at which he looks ahead again, the impact was made.
“So, the stewards have put it down as a racing incident, but that accident was caused because Magnussen stuck his nose in.
“And the chances of out-dragging him up the hill and going around the outside on a non-straight? Slim and none.”
Steve Jones: “So, they called it a racing incident because it’s lap one and the cars are so close together anyway?”
Coulthard: “Yep, first lap, if that had been on any other lap of the Grand Prix I think Magnussen would be looking at a little holiday from Formula 1.”
Haas already have a plan in place if Kevin Magnussen earns a one-race ban
As Coulthard suggests, Magnussen may be looking at a ban if his crash with Perez didn’t happen on the first lap in Monaco.
Perez could have given the Haas driver more space but he’ll argue that he was following the racing line and was clear of his rival.
Haas will be well aware that Magnussen could pick up the final penalty points at any time now and even blocking another driver in qualifying could be the reason he has to sit out of a Grand Prix weekend.
If Magnussen does accumulate two more points, Haas will give Oliver Bearman a chance to race for the team after his fantastic cameo in Saudi Arabia.
The British teenager is expected to be a Haas driver next season and would love nothing more than to prove that he’s the right man for the job in Magnussen’s place.
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