FIA to issue rule clarification after podium drama in Jeddah
Fernando Alonso after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (Images: Getty Images)
The FIA, F1’s governing body, has established that the circumstances surrounding Fernando Alonso losing his podium place at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and then its reinstatement, will be addressed before the next round in Melbourne, Australia.
Alonso converted his front-row start into a P3 finish, despite dealing with a five-second penalty for an incorrect start procedure.
It was then decided after the race that Alonso and Aston Martin were being investigated by the FIA for incorrectly serving their penalty, with the rear jack mechanic judged to have touched Alonso’s car before the full penalty was served.
Aston Martin followed this by requesting a Right of Review of the incident and presented the FIA with several videos of when the same situation occurred with other teams over the years and no penalties was given out. This then resulted in the decision being overturned and P3 was given back to the Spaniard, marking his 100th F1 podium
Alonso and Sergio Perez (right) battling it out on track (Image: Getty Images)
The Steward’s report stated: “In the circumstances, we considered that our original decision to impose a penalty on Car 14 needed to be reversed and we did so accordingly.”
An FIA spokesperson has conveyed plans for the topic to be discussed at the next meeting of the Sporting Advisory Committee on March 23, with hopes to clear up any confusion and concerns for future events.
The spokesperson said: “The request to the Stewards for review of the initial decision was made in the last lap of the race
Alonso on track before the start of the race (Image: Getty Images)
“The subsequent decision of the stewards to hear and grant the Right of Review by the Competitor was the result of new evidence regarding the definition of ‘working on the car’, for which there were conflicting precedents, and this has been exposed by this specific circumstance.
“This open approach to the review and improvement of its processes is part of the FIA’s ongoing mission to regulate the sport in a fair and transparent way.”