The stewards ruled Fernando Alonso was “wholly” to blame for a collision with his team mate during the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint race.
Alonso was involved in two separate incidents with fellow Alpine driver Esteban Ocon at the start of the sprint race.The first occured after the two drivers ran side-by-side through the first three corners after the start. Ocon approached Descida do Lago, turn four, on the inside, while Alonso approached on the opposite side. They met at the exit of the corner and Alonso found himself without enough room to stay on the track, running wide. The stewards concerned the incident but concluded no investigation was needed.
At the end of the lap Alonso attempted to pass Ocon on the outside at turn 15, where the drivers rejoin the starting grid. As he pulled towards the outside of the fast left-hander the pair made contact again. Alonso’s front wing broke as it touched his team mate’s car, forcing him into the pits for repair.
After examining video footage of that incident and speaking to both drivers and their team, the stewards held Alonso entirely responsible for the clash.
“Alonso started a pass on car 31 [Ocon] at turn 15,” the stewards explained. “The team noted that Ocon was unusually slow because of the aero damage due to the incident at turn four, however the stewards
determined via telemetry that Ocon was at similar speeds to other cars at the same point on the track that were not in a tow.
and at that location on the track was dangerous.”
Alonso’s five-second time penalty means he will fall from 15th place to 18th in the final classification. He is therefore set to start tomorrow’s grand prix from that position, alongside Ocon in 17th.
The two penalty points handed down by the stewards put Alonso on a total of six for the current 12-month period, halfway towards a one-race ban.
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer criticised both drivers for their incidents, saying they had “let the team down”.
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Mr Fabulous (@mrfabulous)
12th November 2022, 23:03
Oh dear.
The only thing Fernando has managed to pass of late is his sell-by date…..
Dave
13th November 2022, 21:50
5th place finish from 18th
How does the crow taste?
Teri2
14th November 2022, 9:18
It tastes like betting for a Safety Car at the late stages and getting it.
Dave
14th November 2022, 15:57
Glad you liked it
BLS (@brightlampshade)
12th November 2022, 23:16
Well that back fired for Alonso!
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
12th November 2022, 23:27
I really don’t think that warrented a penalty let alone penalty points.
It was a mistake on Alonso’s part just misjudging the closing speed a bit that ended up hurting his own race which was enough of a penalty.
SpaFrancorchamps (@spafrancorchamps)
13th November 2022, 8:08
I think it’s mostly a statement to Alonso. Apparently the stewards got fed up with his over entitlement too.
Tago
13th November 2022, 12:30
So now they penalize for attitude?
hyoko
13th November 2022, 9:47
Agree, racing incident in which ALO totally ruibned his (sprint race), even if the fault is (mostly) his there was no need for penalties, Clearly the FIA have it against him. Since Hungaroring 2007.
cduk_mugello (@cduk_mugello)
12th November 2022, 23:43
Yeah but he’ll still get a 7/10 in the racefans ratings hahaha.
Alonso is completely toxic. Post 2006 he’s destroyed every team he’s been in. Toxic.
hje
13th November 2022, 16:33
Remember how Trulli was forced out of Renault? Remember what Flavio said after Monaco victory? It didn’t start in 2006, lol.
LyndaMarks
13th November 2022, 1:16
It’s absurd and unnecessary penalties like this that is making me fall out of love with what used to be a great sport.
Too many invesigations, penalties and interventions from race control now.
Just leave drivers to race and only step in when it is necessary due to some really reckless or dangerous action.
Over the past 10-15 years things have just got ridiculous. I guess most of the fans who seem fine with it are either just bias against whoever is getting a penalty or just don’t know anything other than constant investigations and penalties.
It’s no longer a sport.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
13th November 2022, 2:33
Yes, I don’t like it either, some years ago I was very very averse to the fia, more so than today, and I was thinking: who even needs the fia? Get rid of them and just race with some simple common sense rules.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
13th November 2022, 2:34
Canada 2019 in particular made me think of that, the penalty ruined an interesting battle too cause hamilton didn’t even try too hard any more, not to mention mercedes had a super win streak at the time.
NS Biker (@rekibsn)
13th November 2022, 1:37
Just to start, I am an Alonso fan and will cheer every success he has …. but this was stupid.
The similarities to him running into the back of Stroll, while the details are different, it is effectively the same thing. Boy wonder needs to get his eyes checked.
Nice tryJon
13th November 2022, 2:09
You say you are a fan of his but then call him boy wonder? LOL
Tago
13th November 2022, 12:32
It might be that he thinks that everybody is as fair as a racer as he is. No sarcasm here.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
13th November 2022, 1:49
They got their penalty. Wittich do something right once!
Ocon and sainz are two sly unprofessional drivers. Team poison. Next year Ocon and Gasly is going to be fun.
ash
13th November 2022, 8:58
haha “blame the victim card” here we go!
János
13th November 2022, 2:59
Australia 2015 comes to mind.
This one is certainly on Nando, as much as I hate to say that…
Jere (@jerejj)
13th November 2022, 6:47
Surprising
Illusive (@illusive)
13th November 2022, 7:24
Ocon movements were late and dangerous,that penalty is bizarre.
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
13th November 2022, 9:12
Good on Fred for not denying the obvious and taking blame for his crash.
Sviat
13th November 2022, 9:40
This is a ridiculous penalty. Absolutely ridiculous. By this way of thinking, they should have penalised Verstappen because he could have destroyed the tyre on Sainz’ car, Sainz could have spun, leading to a crush.
But I know why they gave Alonso a penalty. F1 is a show, and they need to put Alonso behind Ocon so that we have some more drama today.
I do hope Alonso quits next year, so that I don’t have any reason to watch this show. F1 becomes unbearable.
superman
13th November 2022, 10:17
Ocon is such a creep.
jaromir83
13th November 2022, 10:38
https://i.postimg.cc/ncBNgk7X/802ghjgh.png
Paul
13th November 2022, 11:16
Next year with Ocon and Gasly on the same team is going to be an absolute riot.
They would be able to fill an entire Drive to Survive series just based on Alpine next year.
Azanardi
13th November 2022, 15:52
I am sorry but for me its like they need to put this sign in that location:
https://www.google.com/search?q=no+overtaking+sign
This is utterly ridiculous. Not sure if stewards are comparing Stroll’s dangerous defensive move with Alonso’s miscalculated overtaking maneuver. They are not comparable. Sainz’s right rear tire and Verstappen’s front wing were also damaged just before a long straight, also that could have ended very bad, shouldn’t they apply the same logic in this case? Please, stop ruining the sport, the competition.