The day after the controversial Qatar Grand Prix, the decisions of the race management continue to be a topic of discussion. The one-place grid penalty for Max Verstappen is also still causing a stir. Fernando Alonso is the next driver to give his opinion on the matter, and he stands up for Verstappen.
The FIA is under fire again after the Qatar Grand Prix, following a number of controversial decisions during the race. For instance, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton respectively faced a severe stop-and-go and drive-through penalty. Moreover, the race management decided not to send a safety car onto the track for a long time to remove the detached mirror of Alexander Albon. Several drivers subsequently suffered a flat tire due to the scattered debris.
Alonso Defends Verstappen
Max Verstappen’s grid penalty a day earlier was also a topic of discussion after the race. The Dutchman received the penalty for ‘unnecessarily slow driving’ in Q3 of the qualification. Veteran of the sport, Fernando Alonso, considers the penalty to be nonsense. “(Verstappen) was slow, but George (Russell) also drove a slow lap,” said the Spaniard to the media present in Qatar.
The whole incident even gave Alonso an idea for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “If I drive a slow lap in Abu Dhabi, I will also make sure that the car in front of me gets a penalty if it hinders me. That’s the only thing we need to be careful with,” said the two-time world champion. Despite the ‘strange’ penalty for Verstappen, the Aston Martin driver is satisfied with the new race director, Rui Marques.
