Formula 1: Alonso regains third place in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

After all, Fernando Alonso can celebrate the 100th podium of his Formula 1 career.

The Spanish rider finished the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in third place, but a penalty kick pushed him to fourth place.

The stewards’ decision was based on a hydraulic lifter making contact with Alonso’s car when the Aston Martin man went to the pits for the first time to change tires and serve a five-second penalty for poor car placement on the departure grid. .

Once Alonso had immobilized the Aston Martin, the mechanics could only step in to change tires after five seconds, but the stewards knew that the simple placement of the lever and subsequent touch under the rear wing of Alonso’s car was grounds for a new offence.

Alonso reached the podium with Max Verstappen (second) and winner Sergio Perez, but was later penalized ten seconds and fell from third to fourth, opposite George Russell, of Mercedes.

The British team protested the decision and called for it to be reviewed by showing a video with seven other identical conditions. The mechanics performed the same – the jack touched the car without lifting it – and there were no penalties to the contrary. to Alonso.

After Aston Martin’s appeal, the stewards realized that the hydraulic jack’s touch on Fernando Alonso’s car did not constitute clear evidence that it was interference with the car, so they returned third place to the Spaniard in the second race of the World Championship. Formula 1.