MONZA, Italy -- Having spent much of the Italian Grand Prix sounding off about an incident with Renault's Jolyon Palmer, Fernando Alonso took aim at the stewards after the race.
Alonso was incensed by an incident with Palmer early in the race as the pair tussled for 12th, with the Renault running across the second chicane but refusing to give back the position. When told the Englishman had received a five-second penalty, Alonso opened up his radio channel again, saying the move deserved a harsher punishment.
He was later told of Palmer's misfortune at having to bring his car into the pits to retire, something Alonso declared was "karma" -- only to be called in by McLaren to do the same with three laps to go. Speaking after the race, Alonso suggested the race stewards had been distracted by the official race sponsor and its most famous product.
"When we arrived at the chicane we were side-by-side, we braked late and I managed to take the chicane, but he didn't and he jumped it and stayed in front," said Alonso. "Usually that's something that's very clear in the rules: when two cars are side-by-side at the chicane and one gets to take it and one doesn't, you give back the position, but this time the FIA must have been having a Heineken."
Alonso's late retirement was gearbox-related, something the Spaniard said was a direct result of his tussle with the Renault.
Asked if five seconds was a fair punishment, he said: "No, because then you lose 10 seconds, and the problems we had with the gearbox were because of the heat and having Jolyon in front another three or four laps... If grabbing the football with your hands is a penalty, it should always be a penalty."
"It's not my interpretation and seeing what the stewards think this time... But anyway, being fighting for 16th and 17th it doesn't matter. But I think the spectators want to see something normal, not a party."