Fernando Alonso has called for talks to clarify the rules after Charles Leclerc did not receive a penalty following the British Grand Prix. Alonso stated after the race that he expected the Ferrari driver to potentially be penalised for what the Spaniard deemed to constitute unnecessary weaving. Leclerc had been battling to keep Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton behind him in the latter stages of the event, with the Red Bull and Mercedes each running fresher tyres. Alonso was watching the fight unfold from behind this group, and later told media, including RacingNews365.com , that Leclerc had made "three changes of direction on the back straight". He added: "I did that only once in Canada and I got a five-second penalty on the last lap, so I don't think three movements are allowed."
Alonso surprised that Leclerc did not receive penalty
Alonso's prediction that Leclerc would be penalised did not come true. The Alpine driver admits that this has come as a surprise to him, and he expects that it will be discussed in the drivers' briefing ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. "I am surprised," Alonso explained. "I think we will bring the point [up] in the briefing, but yes, [I was] a bit surprised. "I watched the race after Monday and, more than the movements on the straight, I saw the action between Charles, Checo and Lewis, which obviously was fantastic to watch on TV and [for] me to witness behind the cars. "But at the beginning of the year, leaving the track was not allowed. It was very clear, black and white, and now leaving the track and [keeping] flat out on the runoff area, and [continuing] fighting on the following corner, was allowed. "That's a completely different direction with what we have been [doing] so far, so it will be very, very interesting to clear this."
Alonso: We have to talk
Alonso was asked whether he felt that other incidents needed to be discussed, such as incidences where a driver who is ahead at the apex has seemingly crowded off another driver, as appeared to be the case with Max Verstappen and Mick Schumacher at Silverstone. The two-time World Champion agrees that the rules need discussing. "I think we have to talk," Alonso said. "But obviously, when you are side by side and you push someone out of the track, there are different scenarios and different manoeuvres, different corners. "It's always more difficult to judge, but we have been told that it was very clear to police the white line. [With] other things, the stewards' decisions can be changeable between race tracks or corners or whatever. "But the white lines will be this year very clear, and it was not in Silverstone. I [left] the track in Miami on one corner, and I [gained] advantage for them. They have to imagine that I gained advantage because I [gave] back [the place and gave back] the advantage. "Now [at Silverstone, it was] a clear gaining of advantage, because you can fight on the next corner on the inside or outside, so it's clear, and [there] was no penalty, so I'm very confused."
Making the calls is a "difficult job", says Alonso
Whilst Alonso has previously been vocal about decisions made by the stewards, the 40-year-old acknowledges that making the calls over race incidents is not an easy task. "They have a difficult job," Alonso continued. "We need to all try to help them. I'm not saying that it was right or wrong in Silverstone. What I'm saying is that we need to have a better idea. "We are here to help them, they are here to help us and to police the race, so we just need to make sure that we are all [on] the same page."
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