Why Alonso has a point about his career history of one-off penalties · RaceFans

After his contentious penalty for slowing sharply in front of George Russell in the Australian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso predicted the case will be a one-off, of a tyre he has seen before in his career.

“It will never be repeated the same,” he said. “I think we will never see a decision like in Australia ever again. So I accept it, I take it.

“I had a few of those, many, too many of those in my career.”

As F1’s most experienced driver by far, and one of its toughest competitors, it’s no surprise Alonso has been pulled up before the stewards many times in his career. And he is right when he points out he’s been involved in and penalised for some rare, unusual and even unique cases.

2005 Japanese Grand Prix

Penalty: Allow Klien to re-pass him
Consequence: Lost around eight seconds

If the 2005 championship fight hadn’t been decided before the Japanese Grand Prix, this incident might have triggered a huge controversy. As it was, it gave Alonso good cause to question the stewards’ judgement.

Climbing through the field, after a rain-affected qualifying session left him 16th on the grid, Alonso ran off-track at the chicane while overtaking Christian Klien. He let the Red Bull driver through on the following straight, then immediately re-passed him, but the stewards considered this insufficient.

Alonso was instructed to let Klien by again, and although he eventually passed Klien again, his pursuing rival Kimi Raikkonen had gained around eight seconds on him. That ultimately helped the McLaren driver jump ahead of Alonso through the pit stops on his way to a celebrated victory.

Rubbing salt into the wounds, before the race was over the stewards admitted they had been wrong to tell Alonso to let Klien through again. A driver being penalised for cutting a corner to pass a rival is hardly a “one-off” matter, but the stewards’ indecisiveness on this occasion made their handling of the case highly unusual, and cost Alonso a shot at victory.

2006 Hungarian Grand Prix

Penalty: One second added to his qualifying times (plus the same for another incident)
Consequence: Failed to make the cut for Q3 and therefore started 15th

In the thick of his title fight with Michael Schumacher, Alonso was hauled before the stewards at the Hungaroring after he lost his cool with Robert Doornbos during practice and brake-tested the Red…