Fernando Alonso climbs to 10th place in Imola and adds his first point thanks to a late penalty to Raikkonen

Three hours after the Emilia Romagna GP race ended, Fernando Alonso received an unexpected gift: a sanction to Kimi raikkonen. The Finn had finished 8th initially, but the stewards called him to testify for breaching the protocol of the highlight.

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The punishment for the veteran Finnish pilot was 30 seconds, for which he lost several positions that allowed him to take a leap forward to Esteban Ocon Y Fernando Alonso, which became 9th and 10th respectively.

In this way, the Frenchman adds two points and the Spanish one, the first with Alpine and on his return to Formula 1. It is not a very attractive award, but it allows him to face the rest of the races better.

In particular, the FIA ​​considered illegal what Raikkonen did after the safety car. This is the statement in which the FIA ​​explains its decision:

“On the lap before the restart after the suspension of the race, Raikkonen spun into turn 3. Art. 42.6 indicates that the driver can resume his position, provided he does so before the front row of the safety car.

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At first, the team instructed him to do so, but later told him to hold his position. Art.42.6 indicates then that if a pilot does not resume his position, he must enter the pit lane and he can only rejoin the race once the entire grid has cleared the pit exit.

Art. 42.12 indicates that, during a launched overhaul, once the safety car turns off the lights, “no driver may overtake another car on the track until he passes the line …”. In this case, the driver caught up with the cars ahead of him between turns 13 and 14, but the safety car turned off its lights around turn 10.

This appeared to be a contradictory instruction and the team ordered the pilot not to regain his position for fear that this would create a safety problem in wet conditions.

They radioed the race director, but there was no time for a response between his call and the restart. The stewards consider it an additional contradiction that, when the cars are behind the safety car, they are prohibited from overtaking, but when they are behind the safety car for a restart, they are allowed, even if the reasons for a launched start are that the Track conditions do not allow a stopped start.

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However, the rule that requires a car to enter the pit lane if it does not regain its position is consistent across multiple championships. It has been present in the Sporting Regulations for several years and has been applied consistently.

The penalty is mandatory and, therefore, the stewards consider that they have no alternative but to apply this penalty for reasons of consistency.“.