F1 2023 news: FIA acts after infamous farce on the podium, Fernando Alonso
The FIA said on Monday it intends to “resolve” the problems that arose at last weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, when Fernando Alonso received a late-race penalty that was later overturned.
The Spaniard crossed the finish line third in his Aston Martin on Monday but then received a 10-second penalty that dropped it to fourth place before an overnight appeal reinstated it.
Watch the 2023 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix live and ad-free racing on Kayo Sports. Beginning at 3:00 pm EST on April 3rd. New to Cayo? Start your free trial now >
Formula 1 has released a statement from a spokesman for the FIA, the world’s motorsports governing body, saying the stewards have been caught by “contradictory precedents” on what constitutes “work on the car” of a pit stop.
The report said the topic would be taken up at the FIA committee meeting on 23 March and promised that “clarifications would be given ahead of the Australian Grand Prix” on 2 April in Melbourne.
Alonso was first penalized for starting from the wrong place on his grid. He tried to serve his five-second penalty at the start of the pit stop, but the mechanic allowed the jack to hit the car.
After the race was over and Alonso was on the podium for an interview, the FIA appointed stewards finally decided that the team had been working on Alonso’s car during the penalty.
They hit the Spaniard with a 10-second penalty, dropping him to fourth behind George Russell.
Aston Martin has filed an appeal and released videos showing other competitors have done the same in the past without being sanctioned.
The decision “was the result of new evidence regarding the definition of ‘work on the car’ for which there were conflicting precedents and this was brought to light by this particular circumstance,” the FIA spokesman said.
Originally published as FIA forced to act after Saudi Arabian Grand Prix podium farce