Kevin Magnussen excluded from F1 United States Grand Prix
Haas Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen has been disqualified from the United States Grand Prix
Magnussen was the sole Haas driver to finish in the points in the team's home race, after Romain Grosjean collided with Charles Leclerc on the opening lap and retired.
The Dane took the chequered flag in ninth after fending off Force India's Sergio Perez, and was due to inherit eighth after Esteban Ocon's exclusion for a fuel infringement.
However, shortly after the Ocon decision was announced, Magnussen was disqualified for a fuel infringement of his own, as his VF-18 had exceeded the allowed fuel limit for the race, breaching Article 30.5 of the sporting regulations.
"The stewards find that the amount of fuel consumed exceeded 105kg during the race," the verdict read.
Unfortunately today we were racing in Formula Fuelsaving rather than Formula 1. And we used 0.1kg (!) too much for the whole race so we got disqualified. Those are the rules so we just have to manage better. Car was great though and the pit stop was amazing. On to the next one!
— Kevin Magnussen (@KevinMagnussen) October 21, 2018
Magnussen's disqualification promotes Toro Rosso driver Brendon Hartley to his best Formula 1 finish yet in ninth place.
It also hands a point to Sauber's Marcus Ericsson, who crucially held off McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne late in the race for what was then 12th place.
The decision marks Haas's second recent exclusion for a technical matter, after Romain Grosjean was stripped of his sixth-place finish in Italy following a Renault protest into the legality of the Haas car's floor.
While the Grosjean case remains under appeal, Haas now sits 22 points behind fourth-placed Renault in the constructors' standings with three races to go.
"In the end, that's our responsibility to control the fuel amount, but I still disagree with Formula 1 having to run on these rules," said Haas team boss Gunther Steiner.
"I hope next year, with having 110 kilograms, this will change, but we change another rule and put a big front wing on, so maybe this will be the same.
"One day we'll get to have a good show, but at the moment it isn't."
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