Fernando Alonso of the Aston Martin F1 Team AMR24 has received a penalty and penalty points for causing a collision with Carlos Sainz during the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint. Alonso was defending his third position when Sainz attempted to overtake him on Lap 16. The two drivers went side by side through several corners, but Alonso made a risky move at Turn 9, resulting in contact and ultimately retirement for him due to a puncture. Sainz managed to finish fifth despite the damage to his car. After a thorough investigation, the Stewards found Alonso responsible for the collision. According to the driving standards guidelines agreed upon by the teams, a baseline penalty of 10 seconds was added to Alonso’s time. However, due to a peculiar rule, this penalty will not affect Sunday’s Grand Prix since Alonso did not complete the Sprint race. Instead, he will carry three penalty points moving forward. The Stewards also noted the need for greater clarity in the regulations regarding penalties for retired cars. Alonso considered the incident to be a result of tough racing and stated that he gave up the racing line to avoid contact at Turn 8, but Sainz did not do the same at Turn 9. Sainz, on the other hand, believed that Alonso’s aggressive move cost them both the race and caused damage to his car and dirt on his tires.
Toyota Gazoo Racing had a successful day at Rally de Portugal, with Kalle Rovanperä leading the pack, followed by Sebastian Ogier and Takamoto Katsuta. The team was pleased...
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