Fernando Alonso faced a 10-second time penalty from the Chinese Grand Prix stewards following his clash with Carlos Sainz Jnr during the sprint race, despite retiring from the event.
Although the penalty does not affect Alonso’s race result due to his retirement, it adds to his total penalty points, bringing him halfway towards a potential race ban.
This incident marks the second time Alonso has accrued three penalty points within the last three rounds. Previously, he received a penalty after the Australian Grand Prix for driving deemed “potentially dangerous,” leading up to the crash with George Russell.
The altercation between Alonso and Sainz occurred on the 16th lap of the sprint race as they vied for third place. The conflict unfolded as Sainz attempted to pass Alonso, resulting in contact between their cars.
Despite Alonso’s retirement from the race, the stewards determined that he was responsible for the collision and imposed a 10-second time penalty post-race. This decision, though unusual due to Alonso’s retirement, aligns with the regulations.
Alonso expressed his belief that Sainz should have yielded more space during their battle, while Sainz lamented the outcome, suggesting that Alonso’s aggressive move ultimately compromised both their races.
Following an investigation, the stewards concluded that Alonso’s maneuver into turn nine caused the collision and damaged Sainz’s car. Therefore, they applied the 10-second penalty to Alonso’s elapsed race time, despite his retirement.
While this situation highlights some ambiguity in the regulations regarding penalties for retired cars, the stewards recommended potential amendments to clarify such scenarios in the future.
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