Ferrari have been fined $20,000 over Fernando Alonso's near-miss with Nico Rosberg during qualifying ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. The four race stewards quickly deliberated over the incident that took place early in the final 10-minute shoot-out. After pulling out of the Ferrari garage on his first run in Q3, Alonso cut Rosberg up as the Mercedes driver made his way down the pit lane. The German was forced to brake sharply, prompting an immediate retort over the team radio as he snapped: "Alonso should get a penalty for that." The stewards deemed Alonso's manoeuvre to be an unsafe release from the pits, and in accordance with the regulations, issued a heavy fine. The Spaniard had earlier questioned the prospect of being penalised after witnessing what unfolded in the Chinese Grand Prix three weeks ago. On that occasion Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel were only reprimanded for their side-by-side joust down the pit lane, at one stage touching wheels. Speaking before the announcement of the stewards' decision, Alonso said: "First of all I didn't see Nico, unfortunately. "The angle is not the perfect one to see anybody coming from the pits, so you are relying on your mechanic. "Then, if there is a penalty, we need to reconsider some of the grands prix we have had so far in terms of penalties in the pit lane. "Third, if there is a penalty, it's a safety thing in the pit lane, which is normally a fine for the team. "Hopefully we don't have any of these cases because, as I said, we need to reconsider some of the other races. "Hopefully they take into consideration there was no accident, no touch, no performance gain from the move." http://www.planetf1.com/news/3213/6141048/escaped-a-penalty
Stupid move by Ferrari without a doubt, but I am greatly heartened that the stewards are giving out warnings and fines rather than grid penalties and drive throughs. It is so, so, so much better than prior years. Oh, and Alonso is a little **** for whining about previous races. We saw in prior years that consistency isn't a given in F1. Just because something happened before, does not mean it will happen again. He shouldn't be defiant towards the stewards decision referring to prior races, especially after his move on Massa in the pit lane. Whining about the past should only come after an unfair decision was made... but as usual, Alonso whines like a *****.
When you consider LH's move in the pits in China, and the fact that LH got no penalty at all it think that is a bull**** call.
Nothing has changed LH and SV get a slap on the wrist for drag racing side by side out of the pits. And FA gets fined. Same old inconsistent FIA
I agree... I think the penalty Alonso received is fine but the stewards where in a coma back in China. Not a warning, a fine...nothing. Appalling.
Same thing with LH blocking Petrov the race before. If Alonso had done that he would have been banned for life.
They were both reprimanded, were they not? It was not just an LH thing, it was both of them - equally LH and Vettel. IIRC they were both warned. I don't see much difference between a meaningless fine ($20k to the team is a pittance) and a reprimand.
Yes, they should have either fined LH and SV, or reprimanded Alonso. But I think the difference is the Alonso incident is at least as much the teams fault, maybe more... they can't really "reprimand" a whole team, so they generally fine teams. But a fine for LH and Vettel would have been equally good. When it comes down to it, $20k fines for drivers who earn a million or two for the race weekend are a pittance. It's like fining $3 to someone who earns $50k a year. It's not really much of a fine.
This is what I was talking about in the other thread - your hatred for Hamilton. It's been discussed before and I'm pretty sure everyone knows that LH wasn't blocking Petrov. He stated as much, as did former drivers, and the FIA agreed, as did the other drivers. Even Petrov said as much. So it's a 100% known thing that it wasn't a blocking move. Clearly, you know it wasn't a blocking move either. But here you are calling it a blocking more and that he should have been fined for it. The hate for Hamilton runs very deep in your posts... which is fine, but it discredits your comments on various topics, because we have to separate out the reasonable parts from the blind hatred of the guy.
In practical terms you're right but apparently the stewards draw a distinction and that is an indication of something.
The fine is pocket change, no biggie, the decision making fines ect from the FIA so far IMO has been at a minimum, and is all the better for it.
Nah. To much work. I just ignore ALL comments made by a few who are brain washed thus spewing propaganda so giving no meaningful insight to any discussion.
I've told you many times, I don't hate the guy. I think he's overrated and I will not hesitate to call him out. Your blind man crush on him makes you sound ridiculous sometimes, just like now. I don't know where your information comes from but I clearly remember the Speed broadcast from China Bob Varsha mentioning that pretty much everyone though LH should have gotten a penalty should have gotten a penalty for that move. LH made at least three moves to keep Petrov back. The rules says you can make one. Plain and simple. I don't know what race you were watching but it might be time to join the rest of us in reality.
True. I thought FA would also get a penalty for passing Massa entering the pit lane. I guess that is legal becasue it wan't even brought up.
I think the move on Mssa was dangerous as well but it's a bit different than LH and Vettel driving down in the lane where the mechanics were actually working. Maybe Alonso should have gotten a slap on the wrist for that one and the LH and Vettel something harsher. The penalties just seem to have no consistency at all these days.
As long as different groups of stewards make these decisions there will be a lack of consistency. To say that certain drivers are generally favored is a tougher point to prove. Every fan is bound to think that "his" driver is treated too harshly and his opponents too lightly. In any case I'm glad I don't have to make these calls.
Instead of blaming the stewards, it's crazy to see how Ferrari have been messing their pitstops in recent times.
I think FIA may be ramping up the penalties. Watching a recap of China, it struck me: We'd been complaining about how F1 had turned into a parade. Now we see the drivers fighting it out for position. Unfortunately, they're doing it in pit lane, instead of on the track.
Yep, they didn't bother to check who was coming down the lane before waving Lonnie out. Basic stuff. They deserve the fine.
