Source: McLaren Media Centre

F1 News

Alonso believes FIA was too soft on Kevin Magnussen

Alonso believes FIA was too soft on Kevin Magnussen

09-07-2018 15:02
Author profile picture

Jake Williams-Smith

Fernando Alonso called the decision to not penalise Kevin Magnussen "soft". The Spaniard clashed late on with Magnussen, an overtake around Luffield resulted in the Haas driver squeezing Alonso into the gravel, a move which failed to impress the veteran. 

Alonso did eventually pass Magnussen on the final lap of the race but the decision to not penalise the Dane hadn't been forgotten by the McLaren driver.

"The incident was at Turn 7, I went around the outside and when I came back to the normal line I was pushed off, in the gravel," Alonso told media after the race.

"We've been told you have to leave room for the other car but some don’t and nothing happens. And then, as we were stuck behind a big group there was no possibility to attack those at the front of that group. I think we lost at least one place, but at the end, we finished ahead of Magnussen anyway."

"He fought hard like he always does, and the FIA was a little soft, in my opinion. It was fine as in the last lap I could re-overtake him, so in the end, there was maybe not a big difference in terms of position, so I’m happy for that, happy with the position, and with getting more points for the team.

"In 99 per cent of those cases they penalise or make the driver give the position back, but they didn’t follow that road, so we have to respect that and overtake him on the track. And that’s what we did."

Despite scoring points for McLaren, it wasn't enough to prevent the team from slipping to eighth in the constructor standings, with Force India moving up to take their place in seventh, not the home grand prix surprise McLaren would have been hoping for.