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No penalty for Fernando Alonso after Felipe Massa collision

Published on 24 Oct 2016 11:48
5
By: Dominik Wilde

Fernando Alonso has escaped Punishment after a coming together with Felipe Massa in the closing stages of the United States Grand Prix.

The pair banged wheels as they fought over sixth place, causing Massa to sustain a puncture and go off-track at turn 15.

After an investigation by the stewards, it was deemed that "no driver was wholly or predominately to blame for the collision"

However, Massa was adamant that Alonso was at fault, telling Sky Sports: " for sure, his responsibility."

"I was just doing the corner and he just dived completely inside," the Brazilian said. "I was already entering the corner and he just hit my car and I had a puncture. It just destroyed my opportunities I had on that moment."

Alonso, meanwhile, had other ideas.

"I think that I was side-by-side with him," he said. "It's not that I was coming from behind or any crazy thing, there was not the space to turn in, but the stewards will decide. Hopefully it remains as a race incident."

The result meant that Alonso moved ahead of Massa into 10th in the drivers' standings.

F1 News Fernando Alonso Felipe Massa

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Replies (5)

Kevin

Posts: 4,891
He was alongside, it was a good move, as there was enough space to go for the overtake. Massa saw him, changed his mind of turning in, and then turned in anyway. Typically Massa. I was happy Alonso chose to make the move. It was Fernando's only opportunity, as he was losing too much on the straight all the time.

On a sidenote. I have seen Alonso more off-track than on-track I believe. There were other drivers not respecting track limits, but FA took it to a whole different level. It makes it so difficult to take the FIA seriously. It was just a few races ago where they fought hard against any driver not respecting track limits, now they just let it go. Next race it could suddenly be strongly prohibited again. What a joke. There is no consistency at all.

It's as if the WTA decided tomorrow that play in tennis would continue when a ball was to drop slightly outside the box. "Those white lines are there for esthatics only".
- + 1
- Oct 24 2016 - 13:28
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Agreed, I expected him to get a penalty for not respecting track limits.
  + 2
  
  Oct 24 2016 - 14:11
f1dave

Posts: 782
If track limits had been enforced non of the top ten would have set times in Q3.
- + 0
- Oct 24 2016 - 17:16
- Kevin
  
  Posts: 4,891
  Also very true. They were all over the place.
  + 0
  
  Oct 24 2016 - 18:15
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Good point, so they probably had to relax them. Though were they really outside of the track this much last year?
  + 0
  
  Oct 24 2016 - 19:31