Ricciardo receives grid penalty for Magnussen collision in Brazil

Daniel Ricciardo has been handed a three-place grid penalty for triggering the collision with Kevin Magnussen that took both drivers out of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The Australian tagged the rear of Magnussen’s car at Turn 8 on the opening lap of the race, pitching Magnussen into a spin that left him in the middle of the track. Magnussen let his car roll backwards to try and escape the oncoming field but Ricciardo attempted to go behind the Haas and the two made further contact, forcing them both out of the race.

The stewards determined that Ricciardo was not influenced by other drivers in the incident and therefore it could not be deemed a usual first lap incident, handing him a three-place grid penalty for Abu Dhabi.

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Their ruling said:

“McLaren explained that, in their view, Magnussen was slower at the exit of Turn 8 than the other cars ahead, which made it difficult to judge the closing rate, as the two cars interacted. Ricciardo explained that, in his view, he had slowed sufficiently that he was not going to collide with Magnussen and that he slightly misjudged it.

“The Stewards acknowledged that the incident was not reckless. However, they determined that the incident was between two cars and was not influenced by multiple other cars and is therefore not a ‘first lap incident.’

“The Stewards determined that Magnussen drove in a normal manner for that corner, and that he did not make any erratic moves. Thus the Stewards determine that Ricciardo was wholly to blame for the incident and issue a drop of three grid places for the next event.”

Ricciardo was also given two penalty points for causing the collision, putting him at eight for the 12-month period.