Fernando Alonso, driver of the Aston Martin F1 Team AMR24, received a penalty and penalty points for causing a collision with Carlos Sainz during the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix. Alonso was defending his third position when Sainz tried to overtake him on the 16th lap. The two drivers were side by side for several corners, but Alonso made a risky move at Turn 9, resulting in contact and, consequently, retirement for him due to a tire puncture. Sainz managed to finish in fifth place despite the damage to his car. After a thorough investigation, the Race Stewards deemed Alonso responsible for the collision. In accordance with the agreed-upon driving standards guidelines by the teams, a basic 10-second penalty was added to Alonso’s time. However, due to a peculiar rule, this penalty will not affect Sunday’s Grand Prix, as Alonso did not complete the qualifying race. Instead, he will accumulate three penalty points going forward. The Race Stewards also emphasized the need for greater clarity in the regulations regarding penalties for retired cars. Alonso considered the incident a result of intense 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.
