AUSTIN -- Kevin Magnussen has been handed a three-place grid penalty for blocking Sergio Perez in Q1, something Haas says was caused by a miscommunication from its pit wall.
Perez was left furious with Magnussen in Q1 after the Dane slowed dramatically at Turn 11, forcing the Force India driver to lift off and raise his arm in protest. Perez then swore at Magnussen over the radio and said he is "always the same" and "so unprofessional".
The stewards did not take long to hand out a punishment to Magnussen; a three-place grid drop, although the Haas driver qualified at the back of the pack anyway. The decision seems to have been fairly straightforward: Magnussen admitted impeding Perez, while Haas said the error had been its own.
The decision confirmation stated the team told the stewards it had incorrectly advised Magnussen that the approaching Perez was not on a flying lap, meaning the Dane did not adjust his speed or track position accordingly.
Magnussen has also been awarded one penalty point on his superlicence, meaning he now has eight for the current rolling 12-month period. Reaching 12 at any point leads to an automatic one-race ban.