Motor racing-Alonso warns of 'huge problem' if demotion upheld

MEXICO CITY : Alpine's Fernando Alonso said on Thursday he expected his demotion from seventh at the U.S. Grand Prix to be overturned and warned that the sport otherwise risked creating a "huge problem".

The double world champion dropped out of the points in Austin last Sunday when stewards upheld a post-race Haas protest against him being allowed to continue with a loose mirror that eventually fell off and had risked hurting someone.

Renault-owned Alpine then protested the admissibility of the Haas protest.

A video hearing was scheduled at the Mexican Grand Prix for later on Thursday with the U.S. stewards on whether to consider Alpine's protest.

"I am very optimistic that we will keep seventh place," Alonso told reporters at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, adding that he had faith in the FIA.

Alonso believes upholding the demotion would "open a huge problem for the future in Formula One".

"I think 50, 60, 70 per cent of the cars will have to retire when they have an aerodynamic device that is not properly fixed," he said.

Alpine said last Sunday that Haas had lodged their protest 24 minutes too late and it should not have been accepted.

"If 20 minutes too late is OK to protest, is one month too late? Is one hour too late? Is 10 years too late? When is too late? That I think we cannot afford (that)," added Alonso.

UNSAFE CONDITION

Haas had argued that Alonso's car was in an unsafe condition after a collision.

They made the point that a black and orange flag, requiring a driver to pit due to mechanical problems or loose bodywork, had been shown to their driver Kevin Magnussen on three occasions this season for loose bodywork.

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said the stewards were right to punish Alpine, who had the