Fernando Alonso restored to third place at Saudi Arabian GP and hits out at ‘poor show’ from FIA – Sky Sports

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Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso says it was a ‘poor show’ from the FIA after the driver was given a post-race penalty

Fernando Alonso has been confirmed in third place at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after Aston Martin successfully appealed his post-race 10-second penalty.

The Spaniard was initially punished when stewards decided a rear jack was illegally in contact with his car when he was serving an earlier penalty for a grid box infringement.

After Aston Martin appealed, it was agreed that touching the car while serving a penalty did not break rules on “working” on the car.

An FIA spokesperson blamed “conflicting precedents” and said the confusion would be addressed ahead of the next race in Australia in a fortnight.

Following the confusion, Alonso had his podium finish – his 100th in the sport – reinstated and Mercedes driver George Russell, who briefly benefitted, was relegated back to fourth.

Timeline of Alonso’s penalty drama

• 5pm BST: Alonso, starting in P2, overtakes pole-sitter Sergio Perez
• 5.06pm: Alonso given five-second penalty for incorrect starting position
• 5.33pm: Alonso pits and serves five-second penalty
• 6.22pm: During final lap, stewards receive a report stating penalty was not properly served
• 6.25pm: Alonso crosses the line in third
• 6.38pm: Alonso receives trophy on podium
• 6.44pm: FIA confirm 10-second penalty, relegating Alonso to fourth
• 7.25pm: Russell takes part in “top three” press conference
• 9.28pm: Alonso posts Tweet indicating he had been reinstated to third
• 9.37pm: FIA publishes official reasons for 10-second penalty
• 9.51pm: FIA confirms Aston Martin had appealed
• 10.03pm: FIA confirms 10-second penalty overturned

Alonso: A poor show from the FIA

Alonso was extremely critical of the sport’s governing body, telling Sky Sports F1 after the race: “I was on the podium, I did pictures, I took the trophy, I celebrated and now I have apparently three points less. I don’t have 15, I have 12.

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Sky F1’s Karun Chandhok analyses why Fernando Alonso received a post-race penalty at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

“I think it is more FIA, poor show. You cannot apply a penalty 35 laps after the pit stop. They had enough time to inform about the penalty. If I knew that, maybe then I open up 11 seconds to the car behind.

“Today, we didn’t put on a good show for our fans. I know the team is trying to review it with the stewards now because we didn’t understand fully the second penalty.”

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack said: “The regulation said you may not work on the car, it’s maybe a little bit ambiguous but this is something that we need to look at.

“We have a clear procedure for it, we have a countdown, and everything was fully safe. No advantage came from it.”

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Red Bull driver Sergio Perez takes the win at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with team-mate Max Verstappen following behind

Russell, who initially benefitted from Alonso’s penalty, admitted at the time he didn’t agree with the call.

“I think it was very harsh what happened to Fernando, in all honesty,” he said.

“I feel like some of these penalties have been a little bit too extreme what we have seen this weekend.”

Watch the Australian Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 between March 31 and April 2. Get Sky Sports