• Malaysian Grand Prix

Magnussen and Bianchi get penalty points

ESPN Staff
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Jules Bianchi's race ended on lap one © Getty Images
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Kevin Magnussen and Jules Bianchi received two penalty points each on their F1 superlicences at the Malaysian Grand Prix after causing collisions in the race.

Under new rules this year, any driver who earns 12 penalty points over the course of the season will receive a one-race ban at the next event.

Magnussen hit Kimi Raikkonen at the start, breaking his McLaren's front wing and puncturing the Ferrari's right rear tyre, but went on to finish ninth. He was given a five-second stop-go penalty at his second pit stop as well as the two penalty points.

"I'm sorry for the team that I messed it up in the first corner," Magnussen said. "I think we could have had some good points today, so I'm really disappointed with myself that I made that mistake today. Formula One races are long and I shouldn't have made a mistake like that in the first corner. I'm really disappointed with myself."

Bianchi tangled with Pastor Maldonado at Turn 4 on the first lap, but said he was carrying damage from an incident with Jean-Eric Vergne at Turn 1.

"Unfortunately the situation with Maldonado was a consequence of what happened off the start, when Vergne hit me from behind and punctured my left rear tyre," Bianchi said. "Quite simply I could not avoid Maldonado; there was nothing I could do. We came in to change the tyres and to fit a new front wing but when I returned to the track the car was not easy to drive and we suspected a problem with the brakes.

"We could not continue to drive this way and had no choice but to retire. It was disappointing to end my race after 8 laps and this is not the reward the Team deserves after a week where we seemed to make good progress through the sessions."

Valtteri Bottas received two penalty points on Saturday in Malaysia after holding up Daniel Ricciardo in qualifying.

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