The International Automobile Federation (FIA) covered itself in ridicule again on Sunday as it handed back third place it had taken from Fernando Alonso hours after the curtain fell at the Formula One Arabian Grand Prix.
• Also read: Sergio Perez runs clean in Saudi Arabia
• Also read: Another great day for Lance Stroll and Aston Martin
After hearing the Aston Martin team’s arguments during an appeal hearing, the FIA stewards have lifted the sanction they imposed on the Spanish driver for not complying with a penalty during a pit stop.
Initially third at the end of the race and very happy to be on the podium for the second consecutive year, Alonso received a ten-second penalty a few minutes later for an obviously misinterpreted first penalty by his mechanics.
false start
As a reminder, Alonso was initially penalized with five seconds for failing to meet the limits of his position on the grid before the red lights went out.
Then, just before halfway through the stretch, the rear jack’s jack touched his car during a tire change, but before said five-second penalty was served.
The regulations state: “While a vehicle is immobilized in the pits due to a penalty, no work may be carried out on the vehicle until it has been stationary for the duration of the penalty. »
However, Aston Martin argued that its mechanics waited five seconds before changing the tires.
“The way Alonso’s penalty was served did not break the regulations, meaning the second penalty imposed on him was overturned. That saw him finish third at the Saudi Arabian GP.
Thirty-five laps later
Asked by our colleagues at UK broadcaster Sky Sports, Alonso, for whom it was his 100th Formula 1 podium, hadn’t lost his smile when first told of his penalty.
Like most observers, he didn’t understand why the FIA waited so long to pass judgment.
“I celebrated on the podium, I lifted a trophy and I celebrated with champagne. I was third for everyone,” he commented.
“The FIA looked very bad, he added. You cannot issue a penalty 35 laps after stopping in the pits. His guides had enough time to inform us about this punishment.
“Had I known that I probably would have pushed harder to close the 11 second gap on the car I was in front of. Today it’s Formula 1 that looks bad in this story. »
Alonso is right: why has the FIA waited so long to announce its verdict? The FIA is no longer a necessary evil. A nasty… period. F1 dreams of the day when it can do without the FIA, as is the case in the NASCAR series and IndyCar.
Bad luck for Lance Stroll: Alonso’s teammate had to retire after a mechanical problem on lap 17 when a top five was within reach.