Fernando Alonso opens the melon of the red flags: should those who provoke them in qualifying be penalized?

Fernando Alonso gets on his Alpine

Fernando Alonso gets on his Alpine
Fernando Alonso gets on his Alpine
XPB / James Moy Photography Ltd

The last two rankings in the Formula 1 they have ended abruptly. In Monaco, Charles Leclerc crashed into the wall in the pool area and prevented Max verstappen to take away the pole (in the image of what Michael Schumacher did in the past). Something similar has happened in Baku, although this time it was not the ‘poleman‘who caused it.

Charles Leclerc, after taking pole in Azerbaijan

Leclerc’s chaotic pole in Baku: five accidents, including Sainz, and Alonso’s cracking: “Some are overexcited”

The chaotic classification of Azerbaijan GP had four red flags and five accidents. Except for Carlos Sainz in the end, it was produced by hit the brakes after the one I had had Yuki tsunoda, the others affected several pilots who had to abort their laps. Before, Lance Stroll, Antonio Giovinazzi (in Q1) and Daniel Ricciardo (in Q2) they found themselves against the wall at Turn 15, a nightmare for everyone this weekend.

Tsunoda’s accident in the final stretch of Q3 affected several, among which was Fernando Alonso. The Asturian I had only made one good attempt on the final run on used tires, and the consequent red flag (and subsequent definitive suspension) left him unable to complete his lap.

They couldn’t do it either Valtteri Bottas (coming out behind Alonso), Verstappen (who aspired to snatch pole from Leclerc) or Lewis hamilton (which saved 2nd place).

The same thing happened in Q2 at the end, with the accident of Daniel Ricciardo. In that case, the victim was an extremely angry Sebastian vettel, which due to the red flag could not cut those three hundredths that were left.

Besides the obvious disadvantage that pilots have who are unable to ride, there is another that has put on the table Fernando Alonso after this classification: those who have to repair the car they can leave it practically new and unless they have to replace damaged parts that cause them a penalty, they do not get any punishment.

“We all have the car in parc fermé until tomorrow at 12. These people put it in the garage, change the whole car and it comes out in the position it was. We already know that the rule is like that and one day we might crash and take advantage of the rule, change the whole car and go out on Sunday. It is strange that you destroy the car, you can change it and you do not have any penalty“complained the Asturian.

There are in some competitions in which you do see penalties if red flags are raised, as in the IndyCar. Michael Masi, the FIA ​​race director, already indicated after the Monaco appointment that they would study these regulations to adapt them in future seasons.

Leave a Comment