The FIA has rejected Aston Martin’s protest against Fernando Alonso’s time penalty during the sprint race in China. Although the evidence provided was indeed “new” according to the stewards, it does not change the case.
Earlier this week, Aston Martin’s Formula 1 team lodged a protest with the FIA against Fernando Alonso’s time penalty in China. The two-time world champion faced a ten-second time penalty in the sprint race and also received no fewer than three penalty points on his super license after he made contact with Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari during the session. The two-time world champion suffered such damage to his car that he had to throw in the towel, but was also severely tackled by the stewards.
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Right to Review requested
The Spanish veteran was given a ten-second time penalty, and three penalty points were also added to his super license. Afterwards, Alonso expressed his dissatisfaction with the heavy punishment, after which the Aston Martin team submitted a Right of Review to the FIA a few days later, because new evidence had surfaced. The British formation hoped that the investigation into the incident would be reopened, but the team’s protest has now been rejected by the stewards.
Aston Martin protest rejected
The FIA document states that the evidence provided by Aston Martin – images of the incident from a different angle – is indeed new, and that the stewards did not have this at the time. At the same time, however, according to the FIA, it would have had no impact on the decision taken at the time, and so the Right to Review was rejected.
