Fernando Alonso, Alpine, Red Bull Ring, 2021

Alonso: FIA should pay more attention to drivers overtaking off-track

2021 Austrian Grand Prix

Posted on

| Written by and

Fernando Alonso wants the FIA to pay more attention to drivers abusing track limits than clamping down on post-race celebrations.

The Alpine driver claimed two of his rivals overtook him on lap one of last weekend’s race at the Red Bull Ring by going off at the first corner. Alonso went into the uphill right-hander alongside Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly, who ran wide but rejoined ahead of him.

The pair then made contact and fell behind Alonso. He pointed out Formula 1’s governing body was quick to warn Max Verstappen over his post-race burn-out, but said nothing about his rivals gaining an advantage by leaving the circuit.

“I like when you can be yourself,” said Alonso.

“This burnout, I think it was nice to watch. Even the doughnuts sometimes in Abu Dhabi, I think the fans, they like that, and you see a lot of videos from those moments on social media.

“I think the FIA should police more the track limits. In turn one I was the only one making a move into turn one at the start and the two cars that I overtook they missed turn one and they exit in front of me.

“And for example, there is no warnings on that and there is on the burn-out. So there are things that for sure we can improve for the fans’ point of view.”

Gasly has also questioned why the FIA did not look into the subsequent collision between him and Leclerc, which ended the AlphaTauri driver’s race.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

2021 Austrian Grand Prix

Browse all 2021 Austrian Grand Prix articles

11 comments on “Alonso: FIA should pay more attention to drivers overtaking off-track”

  1. Monitor track limits, you say?
    But this is F1…

  2. Alonso sounds more like a future FIA president every week. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s aiming for that with an agenda that he will work for fans (and drivers).

    1. I don’t think I would mind that scenario, although don’t believe it will happen.

      1. Time will tell if the ambition truly is there and if he can play his cards right. I’ve heard that he is pretty political by nature.

    2. Well, wait for Spa, definitely will see more of the overtaking off the track after turn 1. I remember some years ago, Alonso himself passed quite a few cars and was able to keep the advantage. I do agree with him completely on this however. Clean proper racing by the best in the business is what fans expect. That was hardly a burnout either, but quite cool way to get back up to speed.

      Pull up a Kevin Harvick race win and watch a real burnout.

  3. Norris also went off alongside Perez, but no one questioned that. Nevertheless, neither he, Leclerc, nor Gasly gained a lasting advantage from doing so because of the sausage curb.

  4. F1oSaurus (@)
    1st July 2021, 16:52

    So if they dropped behind Alonso immediately after, what is there still to do for the stewards?

    Agree though that drivers get away with off track overtaking too often. Especially on the opening lap.

    1. So if they dropped behind Alonso immediately after, what is there still to do for the stewards?

      He was talking about the ‘warning’ issued by Masi (not the stewards).

    2. read the text

      Alonso went into the uphill right-hander alongside Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly, who ran wide but rejoined ahead of him.

      So an advantage!
      Only after this they fell behind:

      The pair then made contact and fell behind Alonso.

  5. 1st lap anything and everything is fine.

Comments are closed.