Aston Martin seeks review of Alonso penalty in China

Aston Martin has lodged a petition for a right to review the penalty given to Fernando Alonso during the Sprint in the Chinese Grand Prix. Alonso was penalized for colliding with Carlos Sainz during a fierce battle in the closing stages of the Sprint, with the pair making contact on multiple occasions and Alonso’s attempt to regain the position on the inside of Turn 9 pushing both cars wide. Alonso picked up a puncture and Sainz damage in the incident, but then it was the Aston Martin driver who was given a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points on his Super License afterwards. The penalty points mean Alonso is now on six for the past 12 months, and six more before March of next year would lead to an automatic one-race ban. The first three points were handed out for the incident with George Russell in Melbourne this year. Aston Martin is now seeking a review of the penalty in China, with an initial hearing to take place via videoconference on Friday in Miami to determine if a “significant and relevant new element which was unavailable to the party seeking the review at the time of the decision concerned” exists. If the stewards decide that there is such an element, then the hearing will proceed to a second part to review the initial decision – but not necessarily change it – and at that stage any interested parties are allowed to join the hearing. Ferrari has also been summoned to the initial hearing.