Fernando Alonso doesn’t believe that changes need to be made to the Red Bull Ring following the track limits controversy that occurred last weekend.
During the race, a number of penalties were issued to drivers who went beyond the white lines of the circuit, particularly at Turns 9 and 10.
However, Aston Martin successfully lodged a protest of the result as there were a number of track limit breaches that went undetected by Race Control.
Alonso asserts that Aston Martin was not targeting one particular team with its protest.
“We didn’t protest any rival or any other team,” he said. “We just protested against race direction for not applying the penalties.
“It’s not like we looked at the lap of everyone else and our laps just to spot one centimetre out of the line.
“Race direction said it was 100 deleted laps and race direction didn’t apply those 100 deleted laps. It was very simple. I’m happy that the team is pushing 360 degrees.
“But it’s not the team trying to exploit any grey area or anything. It was just a common sense thing to do more than anything, more than any protest or something like that.”
The penalties benefitted Aston Martin, as Alons moved up one position after Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was shuffled back to sixth from fourth place.
It allowed the Silverstone-based team to gain on rivals Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship, with just five points separating the duo for second in the standings.
Alonso and team-mate Lance Stroll, who finished ninth in the race, weren’t flagged for a serious track limit violation during the race and therefore avoided a penalty.
They were two of several drivers that also avoided breaching the white lines, leaving Alonso to state that there doesn’t need to be any modifications to the track amid suggestions that gravel traps could be installed.
“I think Lance and myself along with the other eight drivers, we didn’t exceed the limits of the regulations,” he said. “That was as simple as that.
“You stay on track, you don’t get any penalties. It was 10 drivers not getting penalties so it was possible.
“It was not Austria drama, it’s not a circuit that they have to break it down and do a new circuit. It was very possible.
“In Monaco, we don’t go that close to the walls because then we crash and then we don’t finish the race. In Singapore we do the same thing.
“In Austria, apparently, 10 people tried to exploit the limits more than 10 other people. They lost a few seconds at the end, but it’s part of the game.”
Completely agree. If there was a wall there, they’d have to stay on track. Keep the penalties coming, so that the drivers stick to the rules. If AM get ahead of Merc because they “cheated” then serves Merc right. Toto will have something to say to his drivers, eh ?