Kevin Magnussen lambasted the F1 stewards, calling out the inconsistency in their treatment of Haas compared to Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez.
Haas have been shown a black-and-orange flag on three occasions this year for damaged bodywork meaning they have to pit immediately, but Alonso and Perez were able to stay out in seemingly similar circumstances in the United States Grand Prix.
“Well that’s bullsh*t isn’t it,” Magnussen told the media when asked what he thought of the handling of the incidents in Austin.
But it was a good race overall for Magnussen, who scored his first points finish since before the summer break.
After a strong start to the season where he managed three top-ten finishes in the first four races headlined by a fifth-place in Bahrain, he’s struggled to match that since and last scored at the Austrian Grand Prix.
One stop strategy
It wasn’t easy to break that 105-day drought either, as Magnussen was the only driver to complete a one-stop strategy and had to run 38 laps on medium tyres.
“Of course it’s hard when you get overtaken on the last lap to be fully satisfied,” Magnussen added.
“But at the end of the day I’d say the team did a great job, we pulled off the one-stop strategy which is just great work from the team, couldn’t have done that without the guidance and preparation that the team provided so really proud of them.”
While most of the attention was on the front of the race in the closing stages, Magnussen held on to finish in ninth and was eventually promoted following a Haas protest of Alonso, who was given a 30-second penalty.
Though he had a slow pitstop, Magnussen benefitted from Haas‘ call to bring him under the first safety car, after Valtteri Bottas span off at quarter-distance.
Magnussen added: “We got a bit of our luck back after getting boxed in on turn one, I was in a decent position, P13 or something and just got stopped by the Ferrari and was last. So happy to at least get some of that fortune back.”
