Magnussen developing 'bad reputation' - Hakkinen

Kevin Magnussen will develop a "bad reputation" in no time unless he changes his aggressive driving style, according to two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen. Magnussen has been involved in dangerous incidents with Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc already this season.

Haas' improvement in pace and reliability has helped Magnussen score 19 points this season, an impressive return given his team-mate Romain Grosjean is yet to get off zero.

However, the Dane has courted controversy, almost putting Gasly into the wall at 300 km/h at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, before forcing Leclerc to take evasive action with more dangerous driving in Barcelona last time out.

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Magnussen was reprimanded for the latter incident, while Gasly labelled him the "most dangerous" competitor he had faced.

The incident with Gasly came under the microscope after Magnussen had given an interview prior to Baku in which he claimed he was willing to die in the car to protect his position.

Magnussen later clarified that he does not intend to perish while racing, and has apologised to Gasly several times over the incident.

But Hakkinen says Magnussen will garner a negative light if he continues to be involved in similar problems.

????This sequence provoked a *very* strong reaction from Pierre Gasly, who subsequently referred to Kevin Magnussen as “the most dangerous driver on the grid” . #Formula1 #F1 #AzerbaijanGP #PierreGasly #KevinMagnussen #ToroRosso #HaasF1Team #InstaSport @bakucitycircuit

A post shared by FORMULA 1® (@f1) on Apr 30, 2018 at 10:05am PDT

"I have also known Kevin for some time, as I knew his father Jan, and it's good to see him producing some great results for Haas," Hakkinen wrote for Unibet.

"I have mixed feelings, however, because while I think it’s important for a driver to show his strength and commitment to the job, there have to be limits to what you are prepared to do in a race.

"In the previous grand prix in Baku, I felt his move on Pierre Gasly was a big mistake, and in this business you don’t have to do that very often before you earn a bad reputation."

Magnussen drove impressively at the Spanish Grand Prix to finish sixth. He sits ninth in the drivers' standings, between Renault's Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr.