Why Fernando Alonso was left frustrated by F1’s “random” rules in US GP

Not for the first time this season Fernando Alonso was left with a sense of frustration at Formula 1’s stewards, describing the enforcement of track limits rules during the United States Grand Prix as “random.” 
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine F1 Team on the grid.
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine F1 Team on the grid.
© xpbimages.com

The Alpine driver was angered by three track limits related incidents during Sunday’s race at t𝄹he Circuit of the Americas&nbs💦p;which involved Alfa Romeo duo Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi. 

Alonso felt Raikkonen had got away with an “illegal” pass on 💦him at Turn 1 early in the race after the pair made contact on the exit of the corner, with Raikkonen forced to run completely off track before holding onto the🔥 position. 

The stewards noted t🃏he incident but decided it did not need further investigation. 

The two-time world champion♈ later ran four wheels off the track to pass Giovinazzi before handing the place back when instructed to by his team. Giovinazzi was also told to do the same in an almost identical incident later. 

Alonso vented over team radio and after the race claimed “the rules are a little bit random”, adding the fans at the circu✱it “saw a show they did🔜n’t deserve.”

Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Alfa Romeo Racing C41 and Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine F1 Team A521.
Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Alfa Romeo Racing C41 and Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine F1 Team A521.
© xpbimages.com

Speaking in a later media call, the Spaniard - who ultimately retir▨ed with rear ൲wing damage - explained why he was baffled.  

“Obviously it is their deciღsion, so we have to accept it,” A🍌lonso said. 

“I don’t know if you saw the whole race, but it was the same incident in lap one, Lando [Norris] in Turn♏ 12, on♏ the inside, overtook [Carlos] Sainz – Sainz went off track, retook the position and it was fine (he later had to give the place back). 

“A𒊎nd then on the last part of the race when I overtook Giovinazzi for the second time, I brake on the inside in Turn 12. Again, I ‘forced’ him off track. He๊ regained the position off track and that time he has to give me back the position.

“So, in a way, you always force a guy to go off track when you brake on the inside. You commit to an overtake. And they are on the outside - they need to decide if they are backing off or keeping full throttle off the track, outsid🔥e the circuit.

“It’s what Sainz did, Giovinazzi did, I did. We have to give back the position because you ar๊e running full thro♛ttle off track. But Kimi didn’t. So that’s why I thought that it was not consistent.

“I lost like 10 seconds by doing all these things, and obviously the point possibilities were gone. But I mean I'm not too mad about this because i✅t is only a one point place. And then we have the failure of the rear wing an꧙yway, so it didn't change our race, arguably. So this is not a problem.”

Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine F1 Team A521 and Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) Alfa Romeo Racing C41 battle for position.
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine F1 Team A521 and Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) Alfa Romeo Racing C41…
© xpbimages.com

It marked the latest occasion Alonso has complained about the consistency of F1’s stewarding this year. He hit out at F1 for having “different rules for differ💝ent drivers” after his trip across the run-off on the opening lap of the Russian Grand Prix received intense scrutiny. 

FIA race director Michael Masi confirmed a 🔴discussion will be held at the next drivers’ meeting about the “marginal” call surrounding Raikkonen’s overtake.

“I can understand his [Alonso's] frustration,” Masi said. “I’ve not heard his frustration, but I can und𒁃erstand it.

“The call with regards to him and Kimi at Turn 1 w𒊎as certainly marginal. And something we’ll have a discussion with the next drivers meeting with🀅 all the drivers about it.

“I think there were two parts to the story, obviously the overtake and looking at the forcing off track. And then the subsequent eleඣment of the overtake.

“It’s something w𒈔e’ll discuss as a group at the next meeting.”

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