Fernando Alonso expressed his disappointed at the leniency given to Jolyon Palmer during the duel during the Italian Grand Prix, when the Briton was handed only a five-second penalty for cutting the chicane to remain ahead of the Spaniard.
The McLaren Honda Formula 1 Team driver was battling for twelfth position with the Renault Sport Formula 1 Team racer when the incident happened, with Palmer jumping across the kerbs at the Roggia chicane and remaining in front heading into the first Lesmo bend.
Alonso was expecting the stewards to request Palmer to hand the position back to the Spaniard, but instead he was handed a time penalty that he was to take in his next pit stop, which he felt was not the right call.
“When we arrived at the chicane we were side-by-side, we braked late and I managed to take the chicane, but he didn’t and he jumped it and stayed in front,” said Alonso.
“Usually that’s something that’s very clear in the rules: when two cars are side-by-side at the chicane and one gets to take it and one doesn’t, you give back the position, but this time the FIA must have been having a Heineken.
“It’s not my interpretation and seeing what the stewards think this time. But anyway, being fighting for sixteenth and seventeenth it doesn’t matter. But I think the spectators want to see something normal, not a party.”
