De Vries’ driving reflects his “desperate situation” over F1 career - Magnussen

Having collided during the previous race in Canada, Haas driver Magnussen and AlphaTauri's de Vries came to blows on two separate occasions during Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix. 

Magnussen ended up in the Turn 4 gravel as he attempted a move on de Vries following an early Safety Car restart. The Dane was later pushed off track at the outside of Turn 6 by de Vries, who was hit with a five-second penalty. 

The underperforming de Vries is under intense scrutiny as he battles to save his AlphaTauri drive and Magnussen believes their altercations are evidence the Dutchman is feeling the pressure. 

“He got a penalty, right? So he did push me off but he’s, I guess, racing for his future,” Magnussen said.

“Maybe in a bit of a desperate situation so nothing I can say really.

“He got a penalty, it is what it is.”

Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has reportedly given de Vries four races - including the Austrian Grand Prix - to prove he deserves his seat.

“We [Magnussen and I] happen to like each other when it comes to meeting each other on track but I think it was hard racing, I’ll take the penalty,” de Vries said of his clash with Magnussen. 

“Not my entitlement to judge on that. Stewards gave me a penalty and we took it. Thankfully for us we made a sufficient gap to not lose any positions.”

He added: “I’m not the person who decides whether I should get a penalty for it or not.

“We race hard, trying to find the limits and sometimes just beyond and sometimes below.”