Alonso says late penalty reveals ‘one thing unsuitable within the system’
Fernando Alonso says it’s “unhappy” for the FIA that it took till after the race handy him a penalty that demoted him from the rostrum within the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and reveals the system wants addressing.
Aston Martin needed to carry out a five-second time penalty when Alonso made his one and solely pit cease after the Spaniard was deemed to be out of place on the grid, and did so below security automotive situations. Nevertheless, like Alpine with Esteban Ocon’s automotive in Bahrain, the crew was deemed to have began work on the automotive earlier than the complete 5 seconds had been up, this time however no investigation was communicated throughout the race and it was solely after the rostrum presentation had began {that a} 10-second time penalty was introduced.
“Lower than commonplace — as we speak is just not good for the followers,” Alonso stated. “When you have got 35 laps to use the penalty and inform in regards to the penalty and also you wait after the rostrum there’s something unsuitable within the system. It’s the best way it’s — I really feel sorry for the followers, however I loved the rostrum! I took the trophy, I’ve the photographs, I have fun with the champagne and now 15 or 12 factors doesn’t change a lot for me; however it’s a little bit unhappy for the FIA, sure.”
George Russell was promoted to 3rd place in consequence and was knowledgeable of his consequence whereas he was doing interviews and much from the rostrum, one thing Alonso says additionally isn’t appropriate.
“No, it’s not truthful for George as I assume the Mercedes sponsors will like to be on the rostrum. For us it’s good — we’ve Aramco, we’ve the image, it’s not truthful for George as if he was third within the race he ought to benefit from the podium and never me. I really feel sorry for George, for Mercedes sponsors, for George’s followers.”
Alonso additionally believes he would have been capable of pull the required distance away from Russell to complete third within the race — for what would have been his a hundredth podium — having responded within the closing phases to a name to try to open a five-second hole to be protected.
“I have to rewatch the race however apparently I used to be an excessive amount of on the left so (the unique penalty) was my mistake — I have to pay extra consideration to that. It’s additionally unusual in two races that two vehicles — Esteban (Ocon) and myself — had comparable issues so perhaps this 12 months’s vehicles, the halo, no matter, is interrupting the imaginative and prescient of how we place the automotive.
“However anyway, that was my mistake. The factor is, they advised me you have got a five-second penalty so I pushed tougher and opened a niche of seven seconds and I paid the penalty. Within the second stint there was no investigation, no nothing, so if somebody tells me I want 10 seconds I might open 11 seconds.”
Introduced by
Stream F1 stay and on demand with unique driver onboards and stay evaluation on F1 TV Professional.
Recommended for you
