Haas Confirms Kevin Magnussen's Azerbaijan Grand Prix Replacement After Race Ban

Haas confirms Kevin Magnussen's Azerbaijan Grand Prix replacement after race ban.

Nov 18, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Haas F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg of Germany (27) during the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Haas has officially named Oliver Bearman as the replacement driver for Kevin Magnussen in the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix. This decision comes in the wake of the Danish driver's race ban, a consequence of accumulating 12 penalty points on his racing license.

Magnussen's suspension followed a collision with Pierre Gasly during the recent Italian Grand Prix. The incident saw the Haas driver penalized with a 10-second time penalty and an additional two penalty points, pushing his total to the 12-point limit which triggers an automatic race suspension under current Formula 1 regulations.

Stepping into the spotlight is Oliver Bearman, who is set to begin his rookie season with the team next year. Bearman previously filled in for Ferrari's Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix and delivered an impressive performance, finishing in seventh place and securing valuable points.

Team principal Ayao Komatsu commented on the inclusion of Bearman in a press release from the team, stating:

“I’m excited that Ollie will be driving the VF-24 alongside Nico in Baku.

"He’s already shown great promise in his FP1 outings and post-season test, and he performed very well when he drove for Scuderia Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, picking up points in the process.

"This is another excellent opportunity for both Ollie and the team to work together, this time throughout an entire race weekend, and he couldn’t ask for better teammate than Nico to provide him with a reference.”

Placing Bearman at the wheel for the Azerbaijan event ensures that Haas maintains a fully operational team despite Magnussen's absence. It also provides Bearman with another opportunity to gain essential race experience ahead of his permanent move to the team in 2025.

Bearman will be driving alongside current Alpine driver Esteban Ocon in 2025. The British driver is already in fifteenth position in the Drivers' Standings after standing in for Sainz and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix provides him with another opportunity to add some points to the board.

2024 F1 Drivers' Standings

1. Max Verstappen - 303 points
2. Lando Norris - 241 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 217 points
4. Oscar Piastri - 197 points
5. Carlos Sainz - 184 points
6. Lewis Hamilton - 164 points
7. Sergio Perez - 143 points
8. George Russell - 128 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 50 points
10. Lance Stroll - 24 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points
14. Pierre Gasly - 8 points
15. Oliver Bearman - 6 points
16. Kevin Magnussen - 6 points
17. Alex Albon - 6 points
18. Esteban Ocon - 5 points
19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
21. Franco Colapinto - 0 points
22. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points