After the race, chaos reigns
Alonso called the posse a “fia show”
Those: AFP/GIUSEPPE CACACE
Fernando Alonso drives a strong race in Saudi Arabia and celebrates the 100th podium finish of his Formula 1 career. This is then taken away from him for a short time before it says: Command back. The head shaking at the posse is violent.
DMeanwhile, Fernando Alonso took the celebration on the podium as appropriate consolation. The 41-year-old Spaniard was surprisingly relaxed about losing his third place and the 100th podium of his Formula 1 career for a few hours afterwards. “
It doesn’t hurt like that,” he said on Sunday evening at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. “I celebrated with a trophy in my hand and champagne. Now I have three points less,” he commented on the sheer chaos after the race. Then, well after midnight on the Red Sea, there was a turnaround – the Spaniard got a place and points back.
At the award ceremony, Alonso was cheered for third at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and celebrated by the fans and his team. But then he received a ten-second penalty for serving a five-second penalty when changing tires during the race, which the race stewards considered not to be in accordance with the rules.
Alonso celebrates third place with his team
Which: REUTERS
“It was more of a Fia show than it brought us a big disappointment,” Alonso commented on all this with a smile on his face and added: “This penalty came so late, they had time to inform us. If I had known that, I might have increased the gap to eleven seconds.”
Briefly, George Russell was third
Then he would have remained third behind winner Sergio Perez and his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, but George Russell in the Mercedes moved up one position from fourth place – temporarily.
The reason for the race stewards’ decision against Alonso was that, in their opinion, a mechanic from the Aston Martin racing team had jacked the Asturian’s car before the five seconds had elapsed during the pit stop during a safety car phase.
The team also spoke to the stewards, “because we didn’t understand this penalty,” emphasized Alonso. He received the first penalty (five seconds) because his car – clearly visible – was not parked in the marked starting box according to the rules.
The talks and further action in the fight against the subsequent penalty paid off. The race stewards took them back after a reconsideration and new findings. Accordingly, there should not be an agreement between the teams, according to which touching a jack means that work is being done on the car and that rules are being broken.
The international media are also making fun of the case. The press reviews
Great Britain
- The Sun: “Late Formula 1 drama as Fernando Alonso is demoted from his podium spot before being dramatically reinstated.”
- Daily Mail: “Fernando Alonso berates the Fia after being stripped of third place – only to regain his place three hours later after a review.”
Spain
- Brand: “Checo Pérez clinched a majestic victory at the Arabian Grand Prix, fending off attacks from an unleashed Verstappen for a new Red Bull double in Race 2 of 2023.”
- Sports world: “The Fia are pulling out and they’re giving Alonso back the podium in Jeddah.”
Italy
- Gazzetta dello Sport: “Alonso third, then fourth, then third again – what a mess!”
- Tuttosport: “Ferrari, Leclerc’s disappointment in Arabia.”
Austria
- Crown newspaper: “Stewards totally confused – Rules chaos! Alonso regains third place.”
- Delivery man: “Chaos in Formula 1: Alonso gets third place back.”
Switzerland
- Blick: “Complete madness at the Saudi GP: Alonso gets third place back after podium stealing”
- Daily indicator: “Chaos at the Saudi Arabian GP: Alonso celebrates, is punished – then it becomes really absurd.”