Spanish driver Fernando Alonso finished third at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and celebrated on the final podium, but later learned he had been given a ten-second penalty and would drop to fourth. At dawn, however, the stewards accepted the team’s challenge and Alonso reclaimed third place – it was the 100th podium of his career.
Alonso, who was leading the race, was penalized for five seconds because his car was not in the correct position on the starting grid. The Aston Martin driver served the penalty in the pits on lap 19. One of the mechanics touched the car before the end of time, leading Mercedes to complain towards the end of the race. Hence the new 10-second time penalty, which gave Britain’s George Russell the last spot on the podium.
However, Alonso’s team claimed that touching the car is not “working on the car” – that is not allowed during penalty time, with the stewards accepting the dispute and returning third place on the podium to the Spaniard.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the second round of the Formula 1 World Championship, was won by Mexican Sergio Pérez, with Dutchman Max Verstappen leading the championship, in another ‘double’ for Red Bull.
Pérez, taking his fifth victory and first since Singapore (2022), completed the 50 scheduled laps in 1:21.14.894 hours, leaving Verstappen 5.355 seconds behind as the two-time champion remained isolated at the top of the standings. to the bonus point for the best lap of the race.
Source: DN
