Piastri: Magnussen penalty honesty 'sets a very risky precedent'

Oscar Piastri believes the tactics employed by Kevin Magnussen during the Miami Grand Prix sprint should be "policed a bit harsher" in the sprint.

Protecting Haas team-mate Nico Hulkenberg ahead, Magnussen racked up 35 seconds worth of sanctions trying to keep Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton behind him. The strategy ultimately worked as the German driver scored two points from his seventh-place finish.

Afterwards, Magnussen was transparent about the approach he employed, honestly conceding each of the incidents deserved a penalty. The 31-year-old explained he did it to play the team game, even if he did not like using such tactics, which failed to impress Piastri.

"I saw his comments after the [sprint] race, saying that he deserved to have all the penalties he got," the Australian told media including RacingNews365.

"I think the fact that the driver getting the penalties is saying he deserves all the penalties, and that's kind of the route they chose to go down - it obviously doesn't set a very good precedent for everyone.

"Getting penalties and saying, 'Well, it was a bit 50/50, or I got hard done by' is one thing, but getting that many penalties and saying 'Yeah, I deserve them all', it sets a very risky precedent that should probably be policed a bit harsher."

'Just get him out of the way somehow'

The 23-year-old felt given the extent of the conversations with the stewards and the FIA on the subject, there is scope for harder punishments when there is a clear penalty committed.

Piastri suggested to get the guilty driver "out of the way", a drive-through penalty could be awarded.

"We discussed that with the stewards and FIA quite a bit about what happens if you go off the track and gain an advantage," he said. 

"I think there's certain scenarios where giving the position back is very difficult. Say you overtake somebody, and then if it's a 50/50, and the FIA asked you to give it back, but they've then dropped behind more people, is it still fair or not? 

"But I think in that situation, clearly, all those problems would be fixed if the FIA had said, 'You need to give the position back, and if you don't it's a drive-through [penalty]'. Just get him out of the way somehow.

"If you run the risk of, 'Do I need to give the position back or not?', if you know you're going to face a drive-through, you're going to give the position back."

'To me, that's wrong'

Circling back to his original point, the McLaren driver doubled-down on his view, arguing that a driver using the strategy used by Magnussen - and his candour afterwards was "wrong."

It is not the first time this season the Haas driver has come under scrutiny for his driving standards. Over the Miami Grand Prix weekend, he received five penalty points, meaning he is now just two away from a race ban.

At the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, his use of similar tactics ultimately helped Hulkenberg score a point by running long, with Magnussen holding up drivers who had already pitted behind him.

"So, I think we should be harsher on that," Piastri contended. "I think the fact that it's not the first time that it's happened, irrespective that it's the same team, but I think the fact that it's not the first time, and the driver getting penalties is openly admitting he deserves the penalties and [that he] did it for the team. To me, that's wrong."