Source: Haas F1 Team Media

F1 News

Haas boss: Leclerc ran into Magnussen!

Haas boss: "Leclerc ran into Magnussen!"

07-10-2018 17:56
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Nicolás Quarles van Ufford

Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has come out to defend his driver Kevin Magnussen for the incident he had during the Japanese Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc, saying it was Leclerc's fault rather than the Dane's.

Leclerc was coming up to Magnussen on the straight before the Dane moved over and got his car in front of Leclerc's causing the Sauber driver to run into the back of the Haas. K-Mag had a flat tyre and a severely damaged floor, eventually forcing him to retire, and Leclerc needed a new nose, which he got under the Safety Car only a lap later.

While many are pinning the accident on Magnussen, and with Leclerc even calling the Dane "stupid" on the radio, Steiner came out to defend his driver.

“He [Leclerc] ran into him!" Steiner was quoted by Grand Prix 247.

"Kevin didn’t brake, he didn’t push him off or anything, Kevin just moved over to his line and he ran into him.

"What can he do? Just let him by?

“It was before the braking point - It was not under braking.

"[Leclerc] needs to judge what he can do and what he cannot.

"[Magnussen] didn’t run into the side of him, he was clearly in front because he could move in front of him.”

"I’m getting quite tired of this.

"If they have a problem with him just blame him for it because it’s quite normal.”

Both drivers ended up not finishing the race with technical DNF's, with Leclerc not even being able to make it back to the pitlane with his retirement. Many drivers like Fernando Alonso, Pierre Gasly and Nico Hülkenberg all came out to blame Magnussen for the incident.