Breaking: Haas announce Azerbaijan replacement for banned Magnussen

Oliver Bearman will deputise for Kevin Magnussen during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Haas has announced.

Regular race driver Magnussen is suspended for round 17 of the 2024 season following the suspension of his super-licence after accumulating 12 penalty points. 

Magnussen has become the first F1 driver to be banned from a race under the system introduced in 2014 after picking up two penalty points in the Italian GP for a collision with Pierre Gasly. 

Reaching 12 penalty points triggers an automatic one-race ban, with the driver then able to return with zero penalty points at the following race, which for Magnussen will be the Singapore Grand Prix. 

Ferrari protégé Bearman will instead race in Magnussen’s place in Baku, ahead of making his full-time debut with the team in 2025. 

Bearman was already set to be in Baku for the F2 support round, but as he is not in title contention, he was the most realistic candidate to replace Magnussen. 

It will be Bearman’s second F1 race of the season after standing in for the appendicitis-stricken Carlos Sainz for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, where he finished seventh.