Different drivers get different treatment: Alonso hits out at F1 penalty system

Two-time World Champion Formula One driver Fernando Alonso has criticised the FIA for what he deems as an irrational penalty system that penalises some drivers more than others.

"When I do things, they have a different behaviour and a different repercussion on the following event," said Alonso, who currently drives for the Alpine team. He also obliquely hinted that drivers of certain nationalities were being favoured more than others when it came to giving out penalties. The Spanish driver was speaking to reporters at the Turkish Grand Prix practice sessions on Friday.

Alonso was responding to questions about his unorthodox use of the runoff at corner one in the last Russian Grand Prix which saw him gain several places ahead of the drivers in front of him, before ceding two places. This was to avoid a bottleneck in low braking zones Alonso said.

In the same race British McLaren driver Lando Norris had also careened off track and crossed the pit lane entry white line. He was summoned for an investigation but no action was taken. Alonso took a dig at this issue and claimed that: "Let's see the next one that crosses the white line on the pit entry, let's see which nationality he is and which penalty he will get."

The fact that he was still being asked about this while others who did the same thing had not even been investigated showed the bias in the system, he said. He claimed that he had been an idiot for following the rules while other drivers freely used the same manoeuvre and got away with it.

"Just to confirm when I do things they have a different behaviour and a different repercussion on the following event. So now, maybe they change the run-off area in Lap 1 in the first couple of corners," he said to reporters.

The FIA has denied that any partiality is being shown to drivers on the basis of team or nationality. It has however faced criticism for arbitrary penalty judgements on similar issues which have seen some drivers receive over-the-top penalties while others get little to none.