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Fernando Alonso has criticised the FIA’s stewarding of drivers cutting the corner at turn two during Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix – and hinted he may well follow suit in the future.
Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli all failed to stay on the racetrack at the start of Sunday’s 71-lap race, driving across the grass to avoid the turn two left-hander.
Yet all three drivers were not punished by the stewards, with more leniency given to first-lap incidents. However, veteran Aston Martin driver Alonso, who started 14th but ended up retiring due to a brake issue, was unimpressed with the lack of action from the stewards.
“We were aggressive into Turn 1 and everything was looking good,” Alonso told F1 TV. “But I think a couple of cars went just straight in Turn 2 and 3 and then they rejoined like three or four cars in front of me. So it’s a little bit unfair, I would say.
“It’s the second time in a row that on the first lap in the first corner, the FIA is looking to the other side. So, lesson learned.”
Probed further by ESPN, the 44-year-old hinted at a change of approach in the future: “It’s allowed to cut when you can’t go through the track, sometimes you have to make an escape manoeuvre to avoid touching, that’s allowed.
“What you can’t do is to go flat out and gain two or three positions, because normally you have to give them back.
“But well, surely the FIA had more information, they saw that it was not necessary to give them back and we will try to take advantage of the next time there is a similar situation, hopefully we will be on the other side. But well, always trying to do our best.”
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Fernando Alonso was unimpressed by the stewards on Sunday (Getty Images)
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Numerous drivers cut the corner at the start of the Mexico City GP (Getty Images)
George Russell, who started in fourth but finished seventh, concurred that drivers cutting the first corner should have been punished.
“I don’t understand how three drivers can cut the first corner and just continue in the position they entered,” he told Sky Sports F1.
“It’s like, allowing you to risk everything, but you just have a get-out-of-jail-free card if you get it wrong.”
F1 next heads to Brazil on 7-9 November, with Lando Norris holding a one-point lead over Oscar Piastri in the battle for the world championship.
