Mixed reaction: Alonso blames the FIA of “gross mistakes” over the red flag for the Tsunoda crash

Mixed reaction: Alonso blames the FIA of “gross mistakes” over the red flag for the Tsunoda crash

In the aftermath of qualifying for the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso, the well-known Formula One veteran and pilot for Alpine, slammed the FIA for making an error in sending him into parc ferme prematurely in the middle of the final qualifying session. Alonso, who was nearing the conclusion of his final lap in Q3, was one of many drivers who failed to complete their final runs because of Yuki Tsunoda’s accident that caused a red flag. The incident prompted some officials to make a mistake by thinking that the session had ended, and they sent Alonso and his teammate Lance Stroll into parc ferme.

In his post-qualifying interview with Spanish broadcaster DAZN, Alonso remarked that the incident was one of several mistakes made by race control. In particular, he lambasted officials for the decision to red flag the session and the timing of that decision. Alonso’s error during the session was the latest on a sequence of them for the former world champion, who has had one of the most challenging seasons in recent memory.

The incident prompted some confusion for Alonso and his teammate Stroll, as both were incorrectly sent into the parc ferme area by officials. Once they realized the error, both Aston Martin drivers were allowed to drive back to their garages, so they could join the others in the restart. Alonso commented that as he had no additional fresh tires left, the mistake likely had no impact on his starting position.

Alonso noted that incidents of this sort are rare in such intense, high-stakes racing. He remains one of the sport’s most experienced drivers, with an extensive career that spanned over two decades. Despite that, Alonso’s tenure at Alpine has been tumultuous and fraught with issues, with the team’s lackluster performance early in the season being one of several concerns. Despite these challenges, Alonso remains a potent force on the track and one of the most skilled and successful racers ever to compete in Formula One.