F1
30-second penalty for Fernando Alonso in Austin
Fernando Alonso falls in the rankings of the United States GP. © Xavi Bonilla / DPPI
Obviously Fernando Alonso will have experienced the emotional roller coaster during this United States Grand Prix. Victim of a spectacular collision with Lance stroll who took off his Alpine against the safety rail on the 23rd lap, the Spaniard was able to count on the solidity of his Alpine to leave after having only changed his front wing.
From 17th, he finally crossed the line in 7th position, thanks to a superb comeback. Efforts which will ultimately count for nothing, since the race management has in fact just inflicted a painful thirty-second penalty on the Spaniard.
Esteban Ocon in the points
After the race, Haas indeed lodged a complaint against the car de Sergio Perez and that of Fernando Alonso, reproaching Red Bull for having left the Mexican on the track despite losing an element of the front wing, and for the Spaniard to have driven for long minutes with only one mirror, the other having given way following the collision with Lance Stroll.
If the American team's claim against Red Bull was dismissed, the one which opposed it to Alpine was deemed admissible by the race director.
The stewards in fact determined that a car must be driven at all times in a safe condition and that this was not the case for the No. 14 car, which drove many laps with only one rear-view mirror.
Despite the precedents of Lewis Hamilton et Charles Leclerc in Japan in 2019, it was considered that these two examples should not be taken as case law. Thus, Fernando Alonso received a post-race penalty of ten seconds of stop&go, an addition of thirty seconds to his total race time. A sanction which drops him to 15th position.
Small consolation prize for Alpine, this allows Esteban Ocon to enter the points and score a unit.
Note that the French team, which suffered an 8-1 against its rival McLaren in the Manufacturers classification, is entitled to appeal the decision.
Updated 2022 US GP standings after Fernando Alonso penalty
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PHILIPPE MOURET
24/10/2022 at 12:51 a.m.
F1 is becoming a real “casino” as the Italians say. A crane on the track in Japan and it's Gasly who takes a plum, the mechanical penalties and the starting grid become incomprehensible and while at any time the marshals can stop a car presenting a danger during the race, we wait until Alonso gets high during the end of the race, makes a crazy comeback, only to penalize him once the GP is over! It is all the more regrettable as the pilots put on a great show.
24/10/2022 at 10:39 a.m.
Sure, Magnussen has already been a victim of the black and orange flag on several occasions, so Haas finds it illogical not to have shown it to Perez and Alonso!