United States Grand Prix – The FIA sides with Alpine, securing Alonso’s 7th place
Alpine regained its 7th place in the US Grand Prix, thanks to Alonso driving a car with a missing rearview mirror. Initially, Haas, who had complained about the car's dangerousness, had been penalized, but the FIA changed its decision.
The US Grand Prix kept us on the edge of our seats until the checkered flag was waved, with intense battles on the track, a spectacular crash, and impressive comebacks in the field. But that was not the end of the excitement, as a late protest from the Haas team would shake up the midfield standings. Indeed, the American team complained about the absence of a rearview mirror on the Alpine car No. 14, as Alonso lost it after his crash with Lance Stroll.
The protest from the Haas team occurred 24 minutes after the regulation time. Despite this missed deadline, Haas’ claim was addressed by the commissioners who imposed a penalty of 30 seconds (equivalent to a 10-second stop and go) on the driver of Alpine No. 14. The double Spanish world champion dropped in the standings, going from 7th to 15th.
If at first, Alpine tried to appeal against this penalty, the FIA made it known that the appeal was not admissible. The time penalties taken during the race cannot be subject to an appeal, explained the FIA.
So it was not the decision to penalize the team that was ultimately reviewed, but Haas’ protest itself. For this, Alpine used a “right of review” regarding Haas’ protest. Therefore, the FIA re-evaluated Haas’ protest this Thursday, and the strategy paid off for the French team, as they regained the seventh place in this USA Grand Prix. The stewards deemed Haas’ initial protest inadmissible.
The Alpine team welcomed: (e) Alpine would like to thank the FIA commissioners who have reached a positive conclusion regarding Alonso’s result at the United States Grand Prix: the commissioners have made the decision to restore 7th place and the 6 points to Alonso. We will continue our collaboration with the FIA to ensure that the spectacle remains at a high level in motorsport competition.
Fernando Alonso had judged that this penalty went against the promised spectacle by the F1 and the FIA.
« If it is tolerated to protest 20 minutes too late, is one month considered too late? Is one hour too late? Is 10 years too late? When is it too late? We cannot afford this. It is a very important day for F1. I don’t care about seventh place, I am not fighting for the World Championship,” he confided.
This recovery of the seventh position in the US Grand Prix is good news for the French team, which increases its lead in the constructors’ championship and consolidates its 4th place ahead of McLaren.
