The leader of Aston Martin claims a sanction for his compatriot for having taken him towards the wall. The FIA does not investigate the action
From that onslaught of Carlos Sainz to Fernando Alonso in Australia the two returned with contradictory gestures: first, a hug, then, a sidelong look. That this season would put the friendship between the two Spaniards to the test was a certainty. That war was declared so soon is a surprise. Alonso against Sainz. Sainz against Alonso. The fact is that it took a minimal action in Bak’s sprint race, a movement of the steering wheel, a few seconds of contention, for both to raise their tone and confirm the tension.
It happened in the sixth round of a test as brief as it was boring. After Alonso surpassed Alex Albón At the start, the safety car appeared to control six laps and when it disappeared, the stage was perfect for the two-time Formula 1 champion to go out dancing. In front of his Aston Martin, then in seventh position, lewis hamiltonsixth, and, a little further, Sainz, fifth. The discussion for victory slowed down the peloton and whoever knew how to take advantage of the accordion effect had the doors to heaven open. An ideal situation for Alonso. And, indeed, as soon as the safety moved away, he pounced on Hamilton, passed him, and prepared to repeat play against Sainz. Oh the problem. When Alonso was preparing to overtake his compatriot in turn two, he changed the direction of his Ferrari and brought him closer to the wall. Suddenly the leader of Aston Martin found himself faced with the dilemma, either brake or crash, and much to his regret he opted for the first option. With this action Sainz and Alonso finished fifth and sixth and, upon reaching the finish line, with no other ‘highlights’ to highlight, the veteran was more critical than ever of his young friend.
“It wasn’t easy to finish sixth starting from eighth position. I’m even going to see if I can do fifth now because the truth is that Carlos drove me against the wall in turn 2. It was a bit surprising. Let’s see if they can do something and I can win that position”, Alonso commented in the mixed zone minutes before a very surprised Sainz passed by with his words: “Now I don’t have that action in my head, I think he is talking about when I was defending myself from Hamilton in the restart. Obviously when Fernando joined the battle and I tried to get as wide as I could on the track. It was a good battle and nothing, that’s what it is”.
Despite the fact that Alonso warned that he was going to file a complaint with the International Automobile Federation (FIA), at no time was an investigation opened for Sainz’s maneuver reported, so his complaint came to nothing.
problems for both
Before this Sunday’s race in Azerbaijan (1:00 p.m., DAZN), this Saturday’s discussion between the two Spaniards is proof that their level this season is even. When both enjoy themselves, they fight for a place on the podium behind the Red Bulls, as happened in Bahrain or Australia. When they are uncomfortable, they find each other anyway. In Bak neither of them is happy and hence their tensions.
Alonso regrets some new problems in the Aston Martin DRS system. In the first three races of the season, the English team did not change the rear wing so as not to touch something that already worked, but they had been working on an evolution for some time and the Azeri street circuit was the best place to test it. To fight for victories, Alonso’s car required more top speed and something had to be done. The question is that, for the moment, he earned what he served. The car goes faster, indeed, but the DRS is unstable. Sometimes it activates. Sometimes not. The team believes that sooner rather than later they will know how to fix it and that the benefit of the new wing will be worth it, but it could be that this Sunday it will fail again. Hence Alonso is not as happy as other times.
For Sainz the question is different. While his teammate, charles leclercis shining and in fact this Saturday he slipped into the podium of the sprint race between ‘Czech’ Prez and max verstappen, the Spanish lacks confidence with his Ferrari and possibly Bak is the circuit that requires more security of this type. With such speed and the walls so close, Sainz has already made some mistakes. “This weekend it’s time to minimize damage,” he accepted this Saturday aware of the situation. Because of the penalty he received in Australia, he only has 24 points in the World Cup and now comes a decisive stage. In the next six weeks there are five races: his place in the championship and at Ferrari is at stake. Hence Sainz is not as happy as other times.
That this season would put the friendship between the two Spaniards to the test was a certainty. That war was declared so soon is a surprise. Alonso against Sainz. Sainz against Alonso.
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