Fernando Alonso opens up on chat with FIA president after Stewards criticism

Fernando Alonso has said he had a positive chat with FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem at the Spanish Grand Prix after labelling race stewards ‘incompetent.’

The Spaniard saw himself stripped of points at the Miami Grand Prix after being handed a time penalty for being adjudged to have left the track and gained an advantage – something Alpine wanted to protest – and that, plus some other decisions recently made, drew the ire of the two-time world champion.

Indeed, he accused the race stewards of incompetence with that said, in comments that naturally generated quite a bit of interest at the Spanish Grand Prix weekend.

The 05 and 06 champ said on Friday:

“We believe it was very unfair and it was just incompetence from the stewards.

“They were not very professional.”

Alonso, too, was spotted in the paddock in Barcelona having a chat with FIA president Ben Sulayem after making the comments and so, post-qualifying, he was asked about that particular conversation:

“I speak with him regularly, he knew my feedback after Miami so he was aware of everything and at the end of the day we are all trying to help each other,” Alonso told the gathered press here in Spain.

“We are all in the same boat and we try to make the sport fairer and better. It was a nice and friendly talk and we’ll move on.”

Alonso clearly felt aggrieved for the decision made in Miami and wore his heart on his sleeve with what he had to say in the aftermath.

He’s since spoken with Ben Sulayem, though, and hopefully the points he wanted to get across will be taken in a constructive manner going forwards.