David Coulthard claims Kevin Magnussen spared ‘holiday from Formula 1’ by Monaco shunt timing

The fact that a huge shunt involving Kevin Magnussen, Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg in Monaco happened on the first lap is what saved Magnussen from a race ban, claims 13-time race winner David Coulthard.

Perez’s Red Bull was destroyed against the barriers after he was tagged by Magnussen’s Haas on the opening lap of the Monaco GP going up the hill out of Sainte Devote, Magnussen’s Haas team-mate Hulkenberg also caught up and eliminated in the incident to make it a triple DNF.

Kevin Magnussen lucky Monaco incident was on first lap?

Magnussen faced a nervous wait in the aftermath, considering he sits just two penalty points away from incurring a one-race ban, though the stewards determined that no further action was needed.

Considering the circumstances, Coulthard says Magnussen should have been backing out of that move, but instead triggered the shunt by keeping his nose stuck in.

Analysing the incident on Channel 4, Coulthard said: “I think given that Kevin Magnussen has a number of points on his licence, no harm in sticking your nose in, but at this point you should be backing out, because you can see that’s about as straight as, well not a very strange thing.

“And once that contact was made, that is a huge energy crash at the beginning of a grand prix, car heavy with fuel as well.

“You can see Perez looks in the mirror, but then at the point at which he looks ahead again, the impact was made.

“The stewards have put it down as a racing incident, but that accident was caused because Magnussen stuck his nose in and the chances of outdragging him up the hill and around the outside on a non-straight, slim and none.”

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Coulthard was therefore asked if he felt that the shunt occurring on Lap 1 influenced the steward verdict of no further action?

He was certain in his mind that it did, Coulthard saying that if that incident occurred on any lap other than the first in Monaco, then Magnussen “would be looking at a little holiday from Formula 1”.

“Yeah, first lap,” said Coulthard when asked if this is why it was ruled a racing incident?

“If that had been on any other lap in the Grand Prix, I think Magnussen would be looking at a little holiday from Formula 1.”

Magnussen is battling to secure his future with Haas, the team already in need of one new driver for F1 2025 with Hulkenberg on his way to Sauber.

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