AUGUST 4, 2006

More on Alonso

The FIA Stewards ruled that after watching video-evidence and hearting from the drivers and their teams that during the second practice session on Friday Alonso overtook Doornbos and while doing so made hand gestures and veered towards the Red Bull driver. He then entered Turn 1 and slowed his car to "an unusual and unexpected degree, causing Doornbos to take avoiding action".

The stewards noted that the rules state that "manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers such as premature changes of direction, more than one change of direction, deliberate crowding of cars towards the inside or the outside of the curve or any other abnormal change of direction, are strictly prohibited and shall be penalised, according to the importance and repetition of the offences, by penalties ranging from a fine to the exclusion from the race. The repetition of dangerous driving, even involuntary, may result in the exclusion from the race".

The penalties mean that Alonso is unlikely to get through the Q1 session which means that the best he can hope for is 17th on the grid.