Fernando Alonso faced the sanction in Saudi Arabia with a surprisingly calm demeanor, accepting the consequence that denied him a podium and marked the 100th point of his storied career. The revelation arrived just as he had already celebrated alongside his rivals, sharing photos and champagne with Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen. In the moment, the Spaniard absorbed the news from Jeddah with admirable composure, perhaps more as a professional acknowledgment of the day’s races rather than a personal setback. He had clearly prepared himself for a result that would still echo through a season defined by fierce competition and intense scrutiny, and this tolerance underscored a broader confidence in his team’s work and his own consistency on track.
“A sanction, you say? It won’t erase what we achieved together today,” Alonso remarked to DAZN after the FIA’s decision became public. “We managed to celebrate a podium with all our sponsors present, and we stood as the second-fastest car on the circuit, trailing only Red Bull. That realization matters more than any single penalty.” His voice carried a mix of pragmatism and pride, signaling that the day’s tangible results outweighed the marginal loss of points in a season that rewards both speed and resilience.
He added that the final verdict might not be the end of the conversation, noting that the team’s internal discussion would likely continue to unfold. “From the radio, I anticipated how the situation might develop, and if I had known earlier what the punishment would be, I would have adjusted my approach to maximize performance in the closing laps,” he observed. The veteran driver pointed out that, with additional time to reflect, the squad could have recalibrated strategy to extend the advantage he had established over rivals such as Mercedes and Ferrari, a dynamic that underscores how split-second decisions can influence outcomes as much as raw speed does.
Alonso reflected on the moment of the incident itself, explaining that misjudgment crept in as he aimed for a favorable position on the grid. “I misread the line and found myself a touch too far to the left,” he explained, emphasizing that the second penalty was not simply a matter of fault but also of perception by the stewards. He acknowledged the complexity of the process and the challenge of balancing on-track aggression with the rules that govern competitive fairness. Still, he stressed that the podium, celebrated with champagne and the presence of sponsors, underscored the overall quality of the team’s performance and its stand as a strong contender in the championship fight. The two-time Spanish champion asserted that even though the loss of the top result stung, the broader achievement remained clear: their car had again demonstrated high speed and reliability, positioning them just behind the frontrunners in the crucial early moments of the season.”