Formula 1

Sainz gets Alonso support over 'too severe' Australian GP penalty

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Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso agree the Ferrari driver's penalty at the Australian Grand Prix was "too severe".

Sainz was handed a five-second penalty by the stewards, who deemed him "wholly to blame" for spinning his fellow Spaniard at the restart following the second red flag. 

But with the final lap taking place behind the Safety Car, it meant Carlos dropped from fourth to 12th in the standings, much to his frustration.

“No, it cannot be, Ricky [Adami, race engineer], this will put me out of the points,” he said after being informed of the penalty over the radio.

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“No, it’s unacceptable. Tell them it is unacceptable, tell them they need to wait until the race is finished and discuss with me.

“Ask them please, please, please, please, please, to wait and discuss with me, clearly the penalty is not deserved, it’s too severe.”

After getting out of the car, Sainz's feelings hadn't changed.

“It’s the most unfair penalty I’ve seen in my life," he said. "So before talking to you and saying really bad stuff and bad words I prefer to go back to the stewards, have a conversation with them and then maybe I can come back and talk to the media because now I honestly, I cannot do it. I think it’s too unfair and I don’t feel well to speak.”

As for Alonso, he had a rollercoaster end to the race as the initial Sainz-induced spin dropped him outside the points.

But the Aston Martin would be reinstated to third when the FIA reverted to the order prior to the restart for the final lap behind the Safety Car.

“I mean, probably the penalty is too harsh,” Alonso said on the five seconds Sainz was given.

“At a start, it is very difficult to judge what the grip level [is] and we don’t go intentionally into another car, you know because we know that we also risk our car and our final position.

"But sometimes you end up in places that you wish you were not there in that moment and it’s just part of racing, but I didn’t see the replay properly, but for me, it feels too harsh.”

Sainz's penalty also means Ferrari left Melbourne with no points after teammate Charles Leclerc retired on Lap 1 following contact with Lance Stroll.

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