Stay informed on all the biggest stories in Formula 1. Sign up here to receive the Prime Tire newsletter in your inbox every Monday and Friday. SINGAPORE — Returning to the Formula One paddock after serving his ban in Baku, Kevin Magnussen relishes the chance to race with a clean slate.
“You get punished, and then you come back, and you’re, like, all ready to...
f— s— up now!” Magnussen joked. “It’s funny how that works.” Advertisement Magnussen became the first F1 driver in 12 years to be banned from a race after hitting the 12 penalty point threshold for a clash with Pierre Gasly at Monza, forcing him to miss the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Dane treated it as “a little extra bonus weekend off with the family.” He let Haas know that he was available for any input and advice while Oliver Bearman, the Ferrari youngster, took over his seat. Magnussen admitted it was “kind of a weird feeling” to watch another driver in his car.
But he was otherwise glad to switch off from the rigors of a race weekend. “I watched some of the race. I had it on in my gym on Sunday,” Magnussen said.
“I kind of was watching with half an eye while training. So I tried to switch my mind off. I took the opportunity to have a nice weekend off.
” Magnussen’s penalty points total is now reset for the final seven races of the year, starting in Singapore this weekend. While he never raced any differently despite being on the brink of a ban before Monza, he admitted it was �.