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Alonso penalised for ignoring blue flags

Published on 08 Oct 2017 12:49
9
By: Fergal Walsh

McLaren driver Fernando Alonso has received two penalty points on his super license after he was deemed guilty of holding up the leaders during the Japanese Grand Prix. Alonso was in a tussle with Felipe Massa for the final championship point when race leader Lewis Hamilton approached from behind.

The stewards deemed that Alonso did not comply with the blue flags and let Hamilton past at the earliest opportunity. The stewards claim that Alonso was shown a solid blue flag on his dashboard on lap 51 between Turns 14 and 15. The Spaniard proceeded to let Hamilton by on lap 52 at Turn 11.

Alonso also received a reprimand for his actions, his first of the year. Speaking about his race after the chequered flag, Alonso feels that he and the team deserved to finish in the top ten after starting from the very back of the field.

"We started 20th and we finished 11th, with a good recovery, with only one pit-stop, and starting on a used set of tyres. That was a pretty huge effort from everyone on the team. After the penalty on Friday night, due to the engine change, I think we deserved that one point – we fought hard for it.

"It was an unlucky situation with Felipe towards the end of the race. He was struggling a lot with his tyres when the Virtual Safety Car came out. That meant he could breathe a little bit during those laps. Then, in the last two laps, the leaders of the race caught up with us. Felipe again missed out on an attack, and ultimately took the point for 10th place. We’ll try again in Austin. Hopefully with no penalties. And from our usual grid position. And with some better luck."

Fergal Walsh

F1 News Fernando Alonso Felipe Massa Lewis Hamilton McLaren

Replies (9)

Jutlandia

Posts: 191
About time he got his @ss whipped. He's not good at letting the overlapping drivers pass.
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- Oct 8 2017 - 14:54
f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804
Seems fair, thats twice in 3 races he's done it
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- Oct 8 2017 - 15:14
Rindtchamp

Posts: 304
I'm not an Alonso fan but I do think blue flags should be banned, passing backmarker cars is a talent F1 drivers should have and did have in the past. Some great passing maneuvers of the past were initiated by the leader catching backmarkers.

Get rid of the blue flags, drivers should be able to pass without them.
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- Oct 9 2017 - 00:28
- Patentprutser
  
  Posts: 392
  Don’t agree Rindtchamp. A teammate can let himself fall behond and start fighting with someone who is a lap in front to help his teammate.
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  Oct 9 2017 - 07:01
- juju_hound
  
  Posts: 180
  Patentpruster this thing happened in Brands Hatch 1985 when Senna closed the door to Rosberg's Williams who dropped back and then Keke as a backmarker blocked Ayrton to let Mansell in Williams go trough. It was Keke's vendetta for Ayrton but he shouldn't do something like that and today he would be penalised.
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  Oct 9 2017 - 09:40
talktohenry

Posts: 362
I agree ban blue flags, it will add excitement.
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- Oct 9 2017 - 10:03
Barron

Posts: 625
No, it would add corruption.
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- Oct 9 2017 - 11:38
juju_hound

Posts: 180
I remember Nigel Mansell being so angry at Hungaroring 1992 probly when back marker didn;t want to let him go - I think this was Pierluigi Martini in BMS Dallara. Mansell was so mad he was waving to get trough :)
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- Oct 9 2017 - 12:40
Barron

Posts: 625
You wouldn’t want to see an F1 race (or any motor race) without the blue flag system. It’s a device to warn drivers that the leaders are coming through and they should move over. Can you imagine the carnage if a lapped car didn’t see the overtaking (and thus much faster) car coming? Of course it also messes up a potential title battle as well. I agree the lapping drivers should have the skill, but even with a 2-5 second a lap advantage it’s still difficult to overtake in F1, and you could thus have a train of top cars queuing up behind a slow backmarker. Not very good competition! The answer: jump out of the way or go faster!
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- Oct 10 2017 - 13:09