The International Automobile Federation (FIA) on Friday clarified how Formula 1 teams should serve penalties after the imbroglio that saw it deprive Fernando Alonso of third place at the Saudi Arabian GP in mid-March , then return it to him a few hours later.
From now on, “when a car is immobilized in the pit lane (…) it can only be worked after having been immobilized for the full duration of the penalty“Said the FIA in an update to its sporting regulations.
«Until further notice, in this context, physically touching the car or the driver with the hand, tools or equipment (including front and rear jacks) during the penalty will be considered work“Said sporting director Steve Nielsen, in a statement echoed by promoter Formula One.
This decision comes two weeks after Alonso’s setbacks at the Saudi Arabian GP, during which he was sanctioned for not respecting a penalty.
While he was serving his five-second penalty in the pits, a mechanic put the rear jack in contact with his single-seater, even though the regulations stipulate that you cannot “not workingon the car during his penalty.
Third in the race, the double Spanish world champion was demoted to 4th place at the end of the podium ceremony, the FIA having imposed a 10-second penalty for the maneuver deemed disputed.
The Aston Martin team, however, produced documents showing that other competitors had done the same thing in the past without being sanctioned.
The stewards finally gave him his case, giving the Spanish driver his third place behind the two Red Bulls of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen.
In addition to this clarification, the places on the starting grid will be widened by 20 cm from this weekend in Australia, for the third round of the season.
This decision, announced Thursday, comes after penalties inflicted on Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Alonso during the first two races of the season, for being poorly positioned in their place just before the start.
