Explained why Fernando Alonso Penalty at F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was Overturned
Jeddah: Fernando Alonso was reinstated as the final podium winner in the Jeddah grand prix after discussions with the governing body FIA.
Alonso was initially given a five-second time penalty for an incorrect starting position at the beginning of the race. When he served this penalty in the pits, it was initially ruled that mechanics began working on his car before the five-second penalty had elapsed – and this became the sticking point.
Fernando Alonso Podium situation
Alonso was given a 10-second penalty for the second transgression, when his mechanics began work on his car too early, dropping him out of his podium finish and into fourth place behind George Russell. But it didn’t last long.
Alonso was critical: “On the second penalty, there was no information at all.” Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack said: “The regulations say ‘you may not work on the car’. It is ambiguous. We have a clear procedure, a countdown.”
The FIA rule says a car that has a time penalty can not be “worked on until the car has been stationary for the duration of the penalty”.
FIA’S lack of rule clarity
The FIA rule says a car that has a time penalty can not be “worked on until the car has been stationary for the duration of the penalty”.
The FIA then said to justify penalizing Alonso again: “No part of the car could be touched while a penalty was being served as this would constitute working on the car. In this case, it was clear, that the car was touched by the rear jack.”
Aston Martin appealed. The FIA Stewards were shown seven previous examples of a car being touched, but not lifted, by a rear jack without being penalized.
Aston Martin argued that the FIA wording that “touching the car in any way” is wrong. Essentially, only working on the car should be outlawed during a time penalty. The Stewards reviewed the appeal and decided that the wording in the FIA rules cannot be clearly agreed upon.
