The Haas driver damaged his front wing in contact with Max Verstappen on the opening lap of the Singapore race.
The endplate section on Magnussen’s car began to rock and a few laps later the FIA showed him the orange and black flag indicating that a driver has a mechanical problem and must return to the pits immediately for repairs.
It is the third time this season that Magnussen has received this warning after similar incidents in Canada and Hungary, but what was particularly frustrating was that on none of the occasions did Haas worry that the wing was about to break.
Magnussen said that both he and Haas have repeatedly explained to the FIA how the opening element is anchored and therefore cannot break away, but the Dane admitted that the governing body never wanted to hear reasons.
“I didn’t even realize I had that contact and I didn’t feel anything in the car,” explained Magnussen. “The team told me the damage was minor. It occurred on that kind of end plate that we explained to the FIA to be anchored.”
“The FIA should know that. They set the regulations. That part doesn’t come off. So it’s not a safety issue and in this case it wasn’t even swinging. It was an exaggeration to give me the black and orange flag.”
Earlier in the weekend in Singapore, Haas team principal Gunther Steiner expressed his disappointment at the way the Federation had handled this affair in past appointments.
“There are decisions made that still make me angry,” Steiner explained. “In 12 years, apparently, there has been no black and orange flag while now, in a year, we have received two (three with the Singapore flag). There has never been a risk of losing. parts of the car “.
“They invented this rule, or I don’t know where they got it from, and now they are happy to apply it, especially to us.”
Haas team pit stop Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-22
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Steiner said Haas tried to explain to the FIA the construction of its front wing and why a loose flap is not dangerous, but felt the message was not taken.
“We try to explain to them that we have a say in why we would never leave a car on the track if it isn’t safe. That’s what they need to understand. We’re not that stupid.”
“We know how the front wing is built and we know it can’t fly away. If we thought it was dangerous we would have been the ones to call the driver to the pits, they don’t need to tell us. I think we have a lot more in the team. qualified people than the FIA has “.
Magnussen then said Haas will likely speak with the FIA once again to delve into the construction of the wing.
“We hope to be able to talk to them again and that they realize what it is. This is Formula 1, you have to be able to fight and have some scratches on your car.”
“Of course, I understand that if the front wing comes off you don’t want it to go under the car or hit another car or another driver. But in this case it was a very small part of the end of the wing that had no chance to break away “.
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