Fernando Alonso’s Roller Coaster Ride at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
The second race of the season had its fair share of drama, and Fernando Alonso was at the center of it all. Alonso (41) celebrated his second podium finish in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, only to be penalized and lose his place. However, in a dramatic turn of events, the penalty was lifted, and he was back on the podium again!
Alonso started the race from second place but qualified third. Charles Leclerc (25) finished in P2 but had to replace the control electronics beyond the permitted quota. At the start, Alonso overtook Sergio Pérez (32) dominantly before the first corner. But shortly after, race organizers reported that Alonso was being investigated for not standing correctly in the starting box.
Alonso received a 5-second penalty during his pit stop, which he cleverly made during a safety car phase. While Pérez had already overtaken him, Alonso gained an advantage, with rumors circulating about whether this was allowed.
Alonso’s team later received a subsequent penalty as they had put the jack on too early. Although time penalties have to be served during the pit stop, with the team leaving the car untouched for the time of the penalty, Alonso’s team boss, Mike Krack (51), argued that they had planned an extra reserve time to avoid the mistake they made two weeks before.
The two penalties saw Alonso slip down one place in overall qualifying to fourth and lose his 100th podium. George Russell (25) took his place as the new happy third in the Mercedes. Alonso protested the ten-second penalty, and his team was planning to appeal.
However, late in the evening, a hearing was scheduled, and the decision went in Alonso’s favor – the penalty was lifted, and he was back to third place. He posted about his 100th podium on his social media channels a few minutes before the official announcement. Alonso admitted to making a mistake in not standing correctly in the starting box and gaining an advantage during his pit stop. Still, he maintained that the second penalty was unfounded.
Despite the drama, there seemed to be no bad blood between Alonso and Russell, and they hugged in the paddock after the race. The Aston Martin team was a surprise of the new season, and fans are looking forward to more excitement in the races ahead.
