Source: Official Team Post via X
FIA Penalizes Alpine Drivers for Yellow Flag Violations in Mexico
Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto received post-race penalties for yellow flag breaches at the Mexican Grand Prix. The penalties have impacted Alpine's position in the constructors' championship standings.
The FIA stewards have handed out penalties to Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto following their infractions during the Mexican Grand Prix. Gasly, who originally finished in 10th place, received a stop-and-go penalty for not adequately reducing speed in a double yellow flag zone, along with two penalty points to his superlicence. Colapinto, who crossed the line in eighth, was penalized with a 10-second time penalty for insufficient speed reduction in a single yellow flag sector, earning him one penalty point.
As a result of these penalties, Gasly and Colapinto's standings dropped to 15th and 17th, respectively. This reshuffling saw Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto rise to eighth, Red Bull's Isack Hadjar to ninth, and Haas's Ryo Hirakawa claimed the final points position in 10th on his debut.
The stewards' investigation into Gasly's case involved reviewing data from various sources, including timing, telemetry, and in-car footage. Despite Gasly and his team asserting that he had significantly reduced speed, the stewards determined that the reduction was insufficient under the regulations. Colapinto and his team also presented evidence in their defense, but the stewards concluded that he had not sufficiently slowed down in the single yellow flag zone.
These penalties have not done any favors for Alpine's bid to overtake Racing Bulls for fifth place in the constructors' championship. Alpine now finds itself 39 points behind Racing Bulls, with only four races left in the season. The future of the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix remains uncertain, with potential changes to the calendar that could see Imola hosting the season finale if necessary.