As reported by TJ13 earlier today, the FIA have decided to alter the grid positions which means the starting grid rule change begins in Australia. This is after the incidents during the first two rounds of the season with Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso, the FIA decided to react before the Australian Grand Prix.
The FIA has finally decided to change the size of the starting grid ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, following penalties handed out to Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso in the first two races of the year.
In the opening race of the 2023 season, Frenchman Esteban Ocon mispositioned his Alpine on the grid, earning a five-second penalty before receiving a second one for not serving the first one correctly.
In the second race in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso received a five-second penalty for incorrectly positioning his car on the grid.
Again, the Spaniard also received a second penalty for not having served the first one correctly, before his team appealed the stewards’ decision (Aston Martin eventually won the case and Alonso’s second penalty was cancelled).
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There’s brutal, then there’s this 💀#F1 #AustralianGP pic.twitter.com/lmFo9HyvMG
— Laura Leslie (@LauraLeslieF1) March 28, 2023
FIA reacts quickly
Given this situation, the FIA had to act before the third round of the season, which takes place this weekend in Melbourne, and it has done so by widening the grid boxes by 20 cm on the starting grid of the Australian Grand Prix as reported by this website earlier today.
Track limits is now policed to the millimetre – and pretty much around the entire circuit. This was something the former FIA delegate and race control director Charlie Whiting told this writer would be impossible to do. The current regime is making a lot more decisions per lap than has been historically the norm. A good thing…
A sensible approach form race control and the FIA has been to widen the pit boxes which have been a consistent size for decades.
Repasando algunas fotos de parrilla para ver sanción Alonso, veo que no es el único que estaba fuera de posición. ¿Es la línea el límite?🤷♂️
Checking some grid pictures to verify Alonso's penalty, I realised there were other drivers out of position. Is the line the limit?🤷♂️#f1 pic.twitter.com/DqwL3CaVG5
— Albert Fabrega (@AlbertFabrega) March 19, 2023
Alonso unfairly targeted with the grid box penalty?
Something that has come to light today however, is yet another inconsistency in the police of rules by the stewards during a race.
As shown in the tweet above by F1 journalist Albert Fabrega, quite clearly it was not just Alonso who was out of position on the grid, with several other cars seemingly out of position behind the Spaniard.
For all the benefit of quick decision making ahead of a Grand Prix, one has to question whether those policing the racing ought to be more consistent with their penalties.
READ MORE: FIA grid rule change for Australia
