Alonso’s Austin problem: One offense, two sentences

It was the US Grand Prix entertainment for Fernando Alonso. But without a happy ending. The Spaniard had to surrender prematurely due to a broken rear wing. Alonso firmly believes he would have ended up on the points in the end. Although duels with Alfa Romeo drivers cost him ten seconds and although he was the only one who changed tires three times.

But when Alonso parked his car in the garage, he was only three seconds behind Sebastian Vettel, who was 10th at the finish. The alpine driver was the only one in the field on medium tires at the time. They only had to survive the remaining 17 laps. Alonso cornered one second on the lap on Tsunoda, Raikkonen, Giovinazzi and Vettel before retiring.

Twice against Giovinazzi

He had already studied Alfa Romeo several times in racing. On lap 16, Alonso was chasing Antonio Giovinazzi so much that Kimi Raikkonen slipped through Turn 1. Alonso pushed his former teammate so far that he ended up at the corner exit with all four wheels off the track. Alonso immediately demanded loudly on the radio that Raikkonen should give up the place again. Nothing happened.

Five laps later, Alonso attacked the other Alfa driver at the end of the long straight road. He braked so late that he landed in the replay zone, but also in front of his opponent. The race management immediately requested a place switch. Alonso obeyed.

Only to start a second attack on Giovinazzi on lap 25. This time the Italian had to take a long way behind the racetrack. Same maneuver, same penalty. Alonso finally passed the 99th car. This time the Italian complained on the radio.

Like handball in the penalty area

But for Alonso, the matter did not end there. He mapped out after the Grand Prix. In his opinion, the hosts applied double standards. The required exchange of places in the two matches with Giovinazzi is OK in the opinion of the former world champion.

“I was off the track, which gave me an advantage. If there was a wall in there, I wouldn’t have braked so late and not passed Antonio. After a few laps it was the other way around,” the double champions analyze.

However, Alonso did not want to understand why the referees turned a blind eye to Raikkonen. “Kimy was also off the track. Like Sainz in a duel with Norris on the first lap. Nothing happened to Sainz either, although he was off the track and ended up in front of Norris again. I don’t understand why there are differences. It’s like a handball in The penalty area. There are penalties no matter where they occur in the penalty area.”

According to race management, the difference was that Raikkonen and Sainz were pushed off the track by their opponents. “In such a situation, the driver no longer has to give up the position,” explained Alfa Romeo’s sporting director, Pete Zehnder.

Alonso doesn’t want to admit: “In a fencing, someone is always forced to drive in a wide line. If you’re outside, you can decide whether to give up or keep on fueling. Kimi has stayed on gasoline and has it moved to the side that gives the road an advantage. “.