Lewis Hamilton faced a contentious five-second penalty after the Singapore Grand Prix, a decision that ignited fierce criticism from Fernando Alonso over the steward’s ruling. Hamilton’s effort to secure seventh place was scrutinized post-race due to track limit violations, heightening tensions between drivers and officials during the event.
Alonso Reacts Strongly to Hamilton’s Post-Race Penalty
In the final laps of the race, Hamilton narrowly held seventh place, battling a brake issue that left him vulnerable to Fernando Alonso’s challenge in the Aston Martin. Hamilton crossed the finish line just 0.4 seconds ahead of Alonso, but the stewards later reviewed his conduct for allegedly leaving the track multiple times without justification.
During the race, Ferrari strategically swapped positions between Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli to give Hamilton a chance to overtake Leclerc. However, Hamilton could not complete the maneuver and allowed Leclerc to reclaim sixth place. Meanwhile, technical problems affecting both Ferrari cars opened the door for Alonso to pressure Hamilton in the closing stages.
After the race, Hamilton was handed a five-second penalty for breaching track limits on several occasions late in the race, which demoted him behind Alonso in the official standings. Fierce in his response, Alonso expressed his disbelief and frustration over the situation via team radio.
“I cannot believe it. I cannot f***ing believe it. I cannot f***ing believe it! I mean, I cannot f***ing believe it. I cannot f***ing believe it. Is it safe to drive with no brakes?”
– Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Driver
Key Moments and Steward Decisions from Singapore GP
This penalty was not the only investigation involving Hamilton during the weekend; earlier, stewards reviewed an incident regarding red flags during the final practice session but cleared him of any wrongdoing. Alonso, however, was unsatisfied with the leniency shown, especially after the race.
He voiced his strong opinion again, criticizing Hamilton’s previous red flag incident and the race conditions.
“This should be P7. I mean, no respect [for] the red flag yesterday. Today, free track for them. Maybe too much,”
– Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Driver
Alonso’s engineer, Andrew Vizard, informed him that Hamilton had exceeded track limits multiple times, reinforcing Alonso’s stance on the penalty’s necessity. Reflecting on the safety concerns, Alonso added:
“For me, you cannot drive when the car is not safe, you know. Sometimes, they try to disqualify me with no mirror, and now you have no brakes, and everything is fine? I doubt it.”
– Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Driver
Implications and What Lies Ahead After Singapore GP Controversy
The incident casts light on stewards’ decisions and their impact on race results, adding strain to the ongoing title rivalry within Formula 1. With Mercedes and Ferrari battling closely, and contenders like Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri also engaged in fierce competition, controversies such as these fuel debates on fairness and safety standards.
The tension evident in Alonso’s reaction, combined with the stewards’ rulings, signals that regulations and enforcement around track limits and on-track behavior will remain critical talking points in upcoming races. The fallout from Singapore’s events could prompt further scrutiny of driver conduct and technical compliance as the season progresses.
