RaceFans Round-up: Wrong to penalise Alonso for “good racing” with Bottas

In brief

“Let them race” says Grosjean over Alonso penalty

Alonso was given a five-second time penalty for making multiple changes of direction in front of Bottas on the final lap of Sunday’s race. The penalty dropped him from seventh to ninth, and left Grosjean unimpressed.

“I really disagree with Fernando Alonso’s penalty,” said Grosjean. “He didn’t deserve one for moving twice on the straight. The back straight is not even straight so how can yo go straight?

“Bloody let them race. It’s good to see wheel-to-wheel action, obviously it has to be under certain limits, but I didn’t feel like that was anything bad. I thought it was good racing and it was exciting to see it.”

Grosjean also criticised the race director’s decision to show the black-and-orange flag to Kevin Magnussen due to his damaged front wing. “Yes, the front wing is going a little bit in pieces but it’s a small piece and if you really want to avoid anything [hitting] the drivers, put an Aeroscreen just like IndyCar, and then the part can fly and won’t hit the driver’s helmet.”

Piastri to make F1 practice debut soon

Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer says test and reserve driver Oscar Piastri will get an opportunity to run a car during a grand prix weekend soon.

“He will be in an FP1,” Szafnauer said after the Canadian Grand Prix. “We can tell you it won’t be Silverstone, but it’s not far off.”

After the British Grand Prix F1 will head to the Red Bull Ring. Piastri tested a 2021-specification Alpine at the Austrian track earlier this year.

Latifi’s grandad in the grandstands last weekend

Nicholas Latifi’s grandfather was among his family members who came to watch his belated first appearance as a Formula 1 driver at home. Latifi’s rookie season coincided with the Covid-19 outbreak which kept the Canadian Grand Prix off the calendar for the last two years.

While Latifi comes from Toronto, much of the rest of his family is from the Montreal area. “I had my grandfather, all my immediate family [here],” he said after the race. “Everyone else besides my immediate family still lives here in Montreal.”