FIA to brief drivers after Webber-Alonso mischief
The FIA penalized Webber for getting a lift after the race from Alonso as it was "reckless"
Sep.24 (GMM) The FIA is set to clamp down on the sort of shenanigans seen on the slowing-down lap after Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso was reprimanded, and Mark Webber pushed ten places down the Korea grid, after the stricken Australian hitched a ride back to the pits on the sidepod of Alonso's Ferrari.
It triggered great memories of 1991, when legend Ayrton Senna rode on the Williams sidepod of rival Nigel Mansell at Silverstone.
However, publishing video footage of the moment Webber ran across the track to climb onto the Ferrari, after Alonso stopped on the racing line after a blind corner in front of following cars, Blick correspondent said the pair had been clearly "reckless".
Referring to Webber's harsh penalty, Swiss steward Paul Gutjahr insisted: "We could not do otherwise."
Another Singapore steward, former F1 driver Derek Warwick, agreed: "It is not health and safety gone mad.
"I hope we're not seen as killjoys. I want Formula One to be entertaining. I want it to be a spectacle," he told the Telegraph.
"(But) a driver could easily have been hurt."
According to the Spanish sports newspaper AS, the FIA could now tighten the rules to make clearer what is expected of the drivers.
It is expected the drivers will be briefed in detail ahead of next weekend's Korean Grand Prix.
"We have become a bit sterile in many ways in Formula One," Warwick continued. "But we cannot put drivers at risk.
"If it had been done in a safer manner then it might have been viewed differently, but this was potentially very dangerous."
Share Or Save This Story
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
Pirelli chief calls for radical F1 overhaul
Oscar Piastri shares how relationship with Mark Webber has evolved since F1 debut
Mark Webber’s Oscar Piastri role change was inevitable, says David Coulthard
What F1 history tells us about three-way title deciders
Charles Leclerc admits he missed a chance against Max Verstappen – but not the obvious one
Why Charles Leclerc failed to outbrake Max Verstappen in Turn 1 at Singapore GP
'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown
Charles Leclerc admits he missed a chance against Max Verstappen – but not the obvious one
Could Alpine-Geely deal to save WEC hypercar programme fall through?
‘I’ll put a pillow under his butt’ – How Toto Wolff wants to solve Kimi Antonelli’s track limits problem
The hidden factor that gives Max Verstappen and Red Bull extra hope for 2027
'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown
What we learned from the 2026 F1 Singapore GP sprint and qualifying
How Honda plans a return to being an F1 powerhouse
Why Red Bull's 'crazy' power unit success matters so much for F1
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments