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Magnussen’s tactics have helped Haas — and put him in danger of a race ban

Published

2 years ago

May 14, 2024

Magnussen’s tactics have helped Haas — and put him in danger of a race ban

If you’d have told Haas going into this Formula One season that, after Miami, it would have points from four rounds and sit seventh in the championship, the team would have been delighted.

A car that is more forgiving on its tires, combined with some particularly impressive displays from Nico Hülkenberg, has put Haas a step ahead of Williams, Sauber and Alpine so far in 2024. It has surpassed all preseason expectations, set low after a difficult end to last year, in which it finished last, and that resulted in Guenther Steiner’s offseason exit.

On a couple of occasions, the deciding factor to make the top 10 has been Hülkenberg’s teammate, Kevin Magnussen, whose bold defensive tactics — it wouldn’t be a stretch to call them aggressive — have helped his teammate snare a couple of extra points.

But after a penalty-laden weekend in Miami, Magnussen will spend the rest of the season on the brink of an F1 race ban for his driving behavior, assuming he doesn’t trigger it with one more offense.

At a time when the gulf between F1’s fastest five teams and the slowest five is so great, every single point is valuable in the battle at the back of the grid, particularly as each constructors’ championship position is worth in the region of $12-15 million in prize money.

Magnussen had this in mind in Saudi Arabia after picking up a time penalty for a collision with Alex Albon early on and another for passing Yuki Tsunoda off-track. Knowing his race was ruined by the added time, he got aggressive in his defensive moves to help Hülkenberg. By slowing down the cars he was fighting, Magnussen created a gap that meant Hülkenberg could pit without losing a position, keeping 10th to score a precious point for Haas.

Post-race, Hülkenberg thanked Magnussen for playing the team game. Magnussen picked up three penalty points for the collision with Albon, while the overtake on Tsunoda only resulted in a 10-second time penalty — even though it had cost the cars behind far more.

Magnussen picked up another two penalty points in China for his collision with Tsunoda after the safety car restart, putting him on five for the season. Any driver who accrues 12 penalty points on their super license in a 12-month period is subject to a one-race ban, per the rules introduced in 2014.

Kevin Magnussen’s 2024 driving offenses

Race	Offense	Penalty
Saudi Arabia Advertisement	Causing a collision with Albon	10s time penalty; 3 penalty points
Saudi Arabia	Leaving the track and gaining an advantage	10s time penalty Advertisement
China	Causing a collision with Tsunoda	10s time penalty; 2 penalty points
Miami (sprint)	Leaving the track and gaining an advantage Advertisement	10s time penalty
Miami (sprint)	Leaving the track and gaining an advantage	10s time penalty
Miami (sprint) Advertisement	Leaving the track and gaining an advantage	10s time penalty; 3 penalty points
Miami (sprint)	Leaving the track without a justifiable reason multiple times	5s time penalty Advertisement
Miami (GP)	Causing a collision with Sargeant	10s time penalty; 2 penalty points
Miami (GP)	Entering the pit lane under safety car and not changing tires Advertisement	Drive-through, converted to 20s time penalty

But it was in the Miami sprint race that Magnussen did himself the real damage, again to aid Hülkenberg score a few points. He went off-track on three occasions to help stay ahead of Lewis Hamilton, opening up a gap to Hülkenberg ahead in the process. Each triggered a 10-second time penalty that meant Magnussen was classified last, but his actions were effective in allowing Hülkenberg to speed away in front.

Magnussen was already aware of the first 10-second time penalty dropping him to last before the second and third offenses, the latter also resulting in three penalty points on his super license because of the frequency of the misdeeds. Post-race on the radio, he mentioned some “nice teamwork”, and admitted afterwards to F1 TV that he had to “had to do my thing to protect Nico” who scored two points for Haas in seventh.

“I had to play the sporting game not to have him be overtaken as well,” Magnussen said. “So, not the way I want to go racing. But what I had to do.”

The stewards investigated Magnussen for unsportsmanlike behavior after the sprint, given he so freely admitted to driving how he did to help Hülkenberg, only to deem this bar to be set too high for his actions. Magnussen got the penalties the regulations dictate; if they’re not severe enough, that’s on the rules, not the driver. The stewards did note the fact the rules do not deter the kind of way Magnussen drove, and that they would “raise explicitly” the matter with the FIA and the stewarding team.

Magnussen agreed the rules could be improved. “If you’re fighting and you do something that’s not allowed, it would be great if the FIA had the power to tell you to give it back and swap positions,” he said. “That way, it’s going to have an effect immediately and stop any games being played.”

Magnussen’s questionable tactics kept Hamilton from passing his teammate Hülkenberg in the Miami Sprint race. (Jared C. Tilton – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

McLaren boss Andrea Stella was very unimpressed by Magnussen’s actions in the sprint, calling them “unacceptable” and saying that penalties should be “exponential,” not cumulative. “Five plus five plus five should equal… maybe you need to spend a weekend at home with your family, reflect on your sportsmanship and then come back,” Stella said.

It will require a close look from the FIA, whether this is a loophole it needs to close to improve driving standards, or simply part of the game. For now, it firmly remains the latter, and it is one that Magnussen played to perfection in Miami.

That’s not to say there may not be a price to pay. The three penalty points were followed by another two on Sunday for his clumsy collision with Logan Sargeant, taking Magnussen up to 10, two shy of a race ban.

It’s not the first time a driver has reached this tally — Pierre Gasly spent a few races on 10 points in early 2023 — but it will be the first time a driver has to spend the majority of the season with the threat of a ban looming.

Penalty points are typically limited to on-track incidents (the three for the repeated breaches of track limits was an exception), meaning it’s likely to only be a collision with another driver that might tip Magnussen over the limit to 12. Magnussen won’t drop any of his points until the start of next season, meaning he has another 18 races to survive without any more incidents.

Were Magnussen to be benched for a race, Oliver Bearman would be first in line to step in after his star turn for Ferrari in Jeddah. Bearman will take part in FP1 for Haas at Imola next weekend, his first of six scheduled practice appearances with the team over the course of the season.

Asking a driver to change their approach or be more mindful when in battle is far easier said than done. For Magnussen, as successful as his tactics have been so far in helping Haas this season, they now leave him at risk of spending a race on the sidelines barring a spotless remainder of the season.

(Lead photo of Kevin Magnussen: Song Haiyuan/MB Media/Getty Images)

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Not done yet: Khalil Mack agrees to contract extension with Chargers

Published

20 minutes ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Not done yet: Khalil Mack agrees to contract extension with Chargers

Khalil Mack will continue to be a nuisance for opposing quarterbacks for at least one more season.

The Chargers edge rusher agreed to a contract extension with the team Saturday, the team announced. The deal is for one season and $18 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports.

In 12 games last season, Mack, 35, had 5½ sacks and 32 tackles, playing a key role alongside Tuli Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh in spearheading the Chargers’ pass rush and softening the blow of Joey Bosa’s exit from the unit.

Since joining the Chargers via a trade with the Chicago Bears in March 2022, Mack has recorded 36½ sacks and 195 tackles. The three-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowl selection missed five games with a left elbow injury early in the season, but he was still a force on defense for the Chargers — even when his sack totals were at their lowest mark since his 2014 rookie season.

Mack’s greatest season with the Chargers — and arguably his NFL career — came in 2023 when he had a franchise-record 17 sacks and finished tied for second in the league with four strip-sacks. During the Chargers’ Week 4 win over Las Vegas that season, he recorded six sacks.

If Mack’s decision seems familiar, that’s because it is. Last year, he didn’t re-sign with the Chargers until just before the start of free agency as he mulled whether to return or retire. He was persuaded with a one-year, $18-million deal similar to the one he agreed to Saturday.

Mack is a proven Hall of Fame-caliber pass rusher, but he still hasn’t been part of a playoff win. He’s 0-6 in the playoffs and the Chargers’ disheartening loss to the New England Patriots in the wild-card playoffs probably gave him plenty of reasons to think about his future.

With Mack under contract, re-signing Oweh becomes a clear priority for Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz ahead of the free-agent negotiation period beginning Monday.

Oweh had a breakout season in the aftermath of his midseason trade from Baltimore and is considered one of the top defensive players set to be available in free agency. Oweh had 7½ sacks and 28 tackles in 12 games with the Chargers.

With Jesse Minter leaving L.A. to become the head coach of the Ravens, Mack will be working under new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary next season. If Mack can stay healthy, he’ll likely continue to be a valuable contributor to the Chargers’ pass-rushing threat.

Sports

Kyle Pitts blasts ‘fake emotion’ from NFL players who skipped Rondale Moore’s celebration of life

Published

12 hours ago

March 7, 2026

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Kyle Pitts blasts ‘fake emotion’ from NFL players who skipped Rondale Moore’s celebration of life

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Atlanta Falcons star Kyle Pitts called out the former teammates of Rondale Moore, who tragically died last month from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, after he said only a handful of them showed up to his celebration of life services on Friday.

Moore, 25, was found dead in the garage of his Indiana home on Feb. 21. Police said at the time that the former NFL receiver died of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound. News of Moore’s death prompted an outpouring of support from around the league and from those who knew Moore.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (8) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

But Pitts, who became close with Moore after he was traded to the Falcons in 2024, called out what he called the “fake emotion” that was displayed in the wake of Moore’s passing.

“Crazy how only about 6 maybe 7 of your teammates in the NFL showed up for you today smfh,” he wrote in a post shared to his Instagram Stories. “All that talk and fake emotion and nobody want to show up to lay you to rest.. Just at a loss of words.

“Be woke on who your ‘brothers’ really are, who really rock with you all areas of life not just in front of cameras or the public,” he continued, adding “Folks just want to throw up a post and not mean it but we ball yb as Kur said, ‘it might hurt a little’ but we ball.”

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rondale Moore (4) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) in action during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on Dec. 31, 2023. (Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports)

Moore was a standout football player in college for Purdue. The Arizona Cardinals selected him in the 2021 NFL Draft. He played three seasons in Arizona from 2021 to 2023. He was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 but suffered a season-ending injury.

He joined the Minnesota Vikings in March 2025 and suffered a season-ending injury in a preseason game.

Pitts shared an emotional post about Moore on social media after learning of his death.

“This can’t be real dawg,” he wrote after sharing a carousel of photos on Instagram. “I’m really sitting here crying on even what to say or think bruh.”

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (8) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

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“We literally was just on the phone yesterday morning. I’m so hurt dawg, I’d never thought I’d be making this type of post let alone it be about you! Rondale, you’re truly aqt peace now watching over us but I wish you didn’t leave us man. I love you dawg and 4 is going to live on forever.”

Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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Sports

Lakers know they have something to prove against the Knicks on Sunday

Published

12 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Lakers know they have something to prove against the Knicks on Sunday

The Lakers 128-117 winwon, Luka Doncic dominated and then the conversation moved forward, because even though a 128-117 win over the slumping Indiana Pacers on Friday counts all the same in the tight Western Conference standings, it doesn’t say as much about the Lakers as what comes next.

Buoyed by four recent wins over struggling teams, the Lakers are still searching for a statement victory to announce themselves as legitimate contenders in the crowded Western Conference. The Lakers (38-25) are comfortably in sixth place in the West, but just 3-11 against teams that are .600 or better.

Two of the wins came in the first two weeks of the season. The losses have been ugly: an average margin of 19.9 points per defeat.

Now with five of their next six games against teams that are .600 or better — starting with Sunday’s 12:30 p.m. contest against the New York Knicks — the Lakers get a chance to prove their potential to make a playoff run.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives to the basket as he’s chased by Indiana Pacers guards Quenton Jackson and Aaron Nesmith Friday at Crypto.com Arena.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

“You play teams that are playing winning basketball and [have] winning records, it definitely can build some confidence in the group,” guard Luke Kennard said Friday. “But I know even some of the close games we’ve lost just recently, I know we’ve done some really good things. … We know what we have in the locker room and in this group.”

Even a day and a win later, the Lakers were still ruing Thursday’s road loss in Denver. With a chance to jump to fifth place in the standings, they let the Nuggets (39-25) open the game on an 11-point run. Denver opened up a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.

But unlike many of their other losses to playoff-contending teams, the Lakers answered Denver’s run. They cut it to one with 2:05 left before the Nuggets held on for the victory.

“That was a game that we’ve broken throughout the year, in games like that,” coach JJ Redick said. “And they made a number of runs that went to double digits and we just kept playing and had a chance. … I’m confident we’re going to find it. How we’re going to find it, that’s where it’s —”

Redick cut off his own thought as he searched for the words.

“You got to figure it out on a daily basis sometimes,” the coach concluded with a tight smile.

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes scores at the rim in front of Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard Friday at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers figured it out Friday behind a dazzling 44-point performance from Doncic, who leads the NBA with 10 40-point games this season. The NBA’s leading scorer didn’t even play during the fourth quarter of the blowout.

Doncic’s brilliance was more than enough against the bottom-feeding Pacers, who, at 15-48, are playing more for lottery position than postseason hopes. But the Knicks (41-23) have won four of their last five games, including convincing wins over San Antonio and Denver. The only recent loss was a three-point defeat to Oklahoma City.

Lakers forward LeBron James is expected to be available for Sunday’s marquee game after injuring his elbow late in the loss to the Nuggets and missing Friday’s game. Centers Deandre Ayton (left knee soreness) and Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain) are day-to-day.

Led by Jalen Brunson’s 26.2 points and 6.5 assists per game, the Knicks have the NBA’s third-best offense. Conversely, the Lakers are 21st in defensive rating.

The Lakers emphasized the importance of team defense all season, but Marcus Smart is “the only one that consistently is just doing what he’s supposed to do” on defense, Redick said Friday. Sometimes the former defensive player of the year is forced to overcompensate for his teammates’ mistakes.

Doncic’s defensive lapses are magnified, especially with the team’s recent inconsistencies. But Doncic’s oft-criticized defense has provided some bright spots, Redick said.

When he switches onto the ball, Doncic gives up the lowest number of points per possession among the Lakers’ perimeter players, Redick said. He led the Lakers in rebounding Friday with nine boards, all defensive. Doncic had both of the team’s blocks against the Pacers.

“He’s shown that he can contain the basketball,” Redick said of Doncic’s defense. “He’s obviously one of the best wing defensive rebounders in the NBA. He’s able to generate steals and deflections. And, with some prodding, he’s taking charges as well.”

Doncic has drawn 11 charges this season, the most for a single year in his NBA career.