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“Bring Back Masi”: Fernando Alonso’s Harsh Penalty Prompts Brutal Fan Bashing of the FIA

Published 03/24/2024, 7:26 AM EDT

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via Reuters

There you have it, we have a conclusion to the Australian GP last lap Fernando Alonso-George Russell saga. Sadly for the Aston Martin man, the verdict was in favor of George Russell. However, the public consensus is with the Spaniard, as seen in the reactions to the new announcement. The fans pointed out and criticized the stewards’ mind-boggling decision toward the incident. The fans believe the 2x world champion received an unjust penalty and some even demanded to “bring back Masi”.

The incident in question is the last lap bout between George Russell and the Spaniard which saw the Mercedes man run off wide and suffer a race-ending collision with the wall. The chase for P6 ended for Russell in the last lap as he felt he was brake-tested by Alonso. According to Russell, Alonso braked earlier in the corner, which caught Russell off guard because of which he swerved off the track.

Alonso denied the claims of being at fault and braking early on purpose with a strong-worded message. However, the two were called in by the stewards soon after the race. Now we know that the stewards felt the Spaniard was at fault and slapped him with a 20-second penalty.

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The 20-second penalty translated to a demotion to P8 for Alonso. Additionally, the FIA stewards felt his actions were serious enough to give three penalty points for this one incident on his super license.

We’re sure Alonso will feel hard done by this decision. However, he’s not alone in feeling this way. The fans are with him as they voice their opinion in the F1’s announcement post on X.

Fans angrily react to the Fernando Alonso news on X calling out FIA’s decision

The fans were quick on the scene to react to the news of Alonso getting the penalty. The 20 seconds penalty seems a bit harsh but it’s due to the new guidelines which have increased the minimum time penalty to 10 seconds from 5. Despite that, the fans were ruthless while criticizing the FIA for its decision in the tweet’s replies.

There was the “Bring back Masi” tweet whereas some labeled the FIA as mafias for ruling however they pleased.

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Some fans pointed out how the governing body favors British drivers.

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The decision is surely harsh but do you feel Alonso had a part to play in Russell’s crash? Does a driver not have the freedom to brake and lift off whenever and wherever they like? What is your opinion on the matter? Do you agree with the masses or the FIA?

F1 Rumor: George Russell Approves Fernando Alonso as Lewis Hamilton’s Replacement as Toto Wolff Was Spotted with His Manager

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Written by:

Mahim Suhalka

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Mahim is a senior Formula 1 writer at EssentiallySports. With a Diploma in Sports Management, he ventured into sports journalism for his sheer passion for F1. Mahim has written over 2000 articles during his tenure at ES, and his expertise is in perspective pieces and core sports coverage.
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Edited by:

Akash Pandhare