Kevin Magnussen, from the Haas F1 team, is firm in his belief that Sergio Perez was to blame for the collision during the Monaco Grand Prix in Formula 1. Magnussen argues that he had the right to space on the track. The incident occurred when Magnussen tried to overtake Perez, but the space between them decreased, resulting in Perez hitting the barrier and causing a chain reaction that involved Nico Hulkenberg. Magnussen maintains that Perez should have given him more space as they approached Sainte Devote. He believes that Perez intentionally pushed him towards the wall to intimidate him, which goes against the principles of fair racing. Magnussen trusted that Perez saw him and would give him enough space, so he continued at high speed. Magnussen acknowledges that perspectives on incidents can change over time, but in this case, he stands by his original comments after reviewing the footage several times.
The Danish driver expressed that he chose not to back off as his opponent had suggested, because he was certain that Perez had acknowledged the presence of another vehicle.
“He noticed me, and I was aware that he noticed me,” he said. “It’s one thing if you’re unsure if he saw you, then I perceive the danger as being greater.
“If I wasn’t sure he saw me, I probably would have backed off simply. But to me it was very clear that he saw me.
“So, I thought, okay, he will leave enough space for a car. I trusted that he would do that – in hindsight, I shouldn’t have put my trust in him.
“But that doesn’t change the fact that he didn’t leave enough space for a car.
“Maybe with my experience, I should have known that certain drivers don’t always leave enough space. There’s always the possibility that they won’t.”
Magnussen also clarified that there was no opportunity to back out of his overtaking maneuver safely once he approached the Red Bull at high speed.
“You reach a point where you’re so close to the wall, and his rear wheel extends, so you’re stuck – because if you brake at that moment, he will collide his rear wheel with your front wheel.
“There’s a point of no return and you’re at his mercy.
“Before that, I had full confidence that he had seen me, because as soon as I gained that momentum, he moved to the right to block me.
“You can see his head. You know, he saw me – no doubt. I can go examine his images later – and I can see that he’s looking at the mirror several times.
“If I didn’t have confidence that he had seen me, I probably would have backed off.”
