Miami GP 2024: Lando Norris fined for breaching 'golden rule' of F1, Magnussen also faces penalties

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, McLaren driver Lando Norris and Haas driver Kevin Magnussen received penalties and fines for different reasons. They have been charged after a detailed investigation by FIA about various rule breaks and breaches during the Sprint race on Saturday. 

The McLaren driver had a dramatic start to the sprint race, getting pushed off at the initial corner due to an altercation involving Lewis Hamilton and two Aston Martin cars. Exiting Turn 1, he abandoned his vehicle and crossed the track to reach the pits without marshals' permission. 

The stewards reacted sternly, imposing a €50,000 fine, with half suspended for the season, considering it his first offence. In the official statement, it was highlighted that the driver acknowledged the potential danger of his actions during the hearing. 

The stewards emphasized the perilous nature of crossing an active track and stressed the need for drivers to exercise extreme caution in such situations to prevent hazardous incidents. The statement stated, "During the hearing, the driver of Car 4 realized that the situation could have been very dangerous for him. The Stewards reinforced the fact that crossing a live track can cause extremely dangerous situations and the drivers have to be very cautious about it."

What happened with Kevin Magnussen? 

Kevin Magnussen received three penalty points on his racing license following a series of rule breaches during the sprint race, characterized by the stewards as "exceptional circumstances." Despite this, an investigation into alleged "unsportsmanlike behaviour" remains ongoing against the Haas driver, stemming from four penalties incurred for track limit violations during the same event.

Among these penalties were three instances where Magnussen was penalized with 10-second time penalties for exceeding track limits to gain an advantage, particularly in his battle with Lewis Hamilton for track position. The stewards acknowledged that according to penalty guidelines, such infractions typically warrant a baseline 10-second penalty without any additional penalty points.