Kevin Magnussen has been asking for trouble for some time now as he has collected 10 penalty points for incidents in different races over the whole season, including 5 of them only in Miami.

Today, during the Italian Grand Prix, he received a 10-second time penalty and 2 more points for his collision with Pierre Gasly, meaning that he won’t be able to take part in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku two weeks from now. 

The F1 penalty point system is designed to regulate driver behavior and reduce racing incidents. Much like a standard driving license, if a driver accumulates 12 penalty points on their super licence within a 12-month period, they will face a one-race ban as a penalty. 

"I am frustrated about the penalty, I don't understand it at all, I am completely confused," Magnussen told the media.

"Me and Gasly were racing hard into Turn 4, we had slight contact and both missed the corner, came back on track again and there was no damage to either car, so no consequence to the race of either of us. And I get a 10-second time penalty, but on Lap 1, where Ricciardo put Nico onto the grass at 300kph, he completely destroyed Nico's race and it had massive consequences and damage to Nico's car and he gets a five-second time penalty.”

"Where is the logic, I just don't get it,” he added with frustration. 

Magnussen is the first driver to receive a race ban since the invention of the point system. Pierre Gasly was very close last year, but his points expired in time. What makes it even worse for Magnussen, is that this year the FIA only gives points for collisions and serious mistakes, last year the system was way more strict.

The driver who will most likely step in for Magnussen in Baku is Oliver Bearman, since he has already signed a contract with Haas for the 2025 season. Another possibility is Pietro Fittipaldi, the grandson of two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi and a second reserve driver for Haas.