Ferrari Argue Alonso Penalty Was Too Harsh

Needless to say, Ferrari can't be happy with what they have achieved in the British Grand Prix, especially since this was the second chance they've got to show the potential of the new improved F10. Although Fernando Alonso squeezed a 3rd place on the grid in the Saturday qualifying, he was again struck by bad luck and finished outside the points, while his teammate Felipe Massa suffered a tire puncture in Lap 1 that eventually ruined his entire race.

Talking about the immense bad luck experienced by Ferrari ever since they debuted the new package – since the Valencia race – team principal Stefano Domenicali seems to think his team is currently under a horrible curse.

“We seem to be really cursed at the moment, when everything that could go wrong, does,” said Domenicali after Ferrari's first point-less race this season.

Midway through the race, while trailing Robert Kubica for 4th place after his pit stop entry, Fernando Alonso tried to pass the Pole on the outside. However, on the very next corner, Kubica closed the door on him on the inside and pushed him off the track, causing the Spaniard to short cut the chicane.

While gaining a position through that maneuver, Alonso did not let Kubica pass him for position – as written in the FIA rulebook – which got him a drive-through penalty later on. Domenicali insisted however that the penalty was too harsh, as Kubica had already slowed down after the pass and soon after that retired with mechanical problems.

“You can have a situation where immediately there is a possibility to give position back to a driver if you feel there is really an advantage to be gained, but we felt that was not the case, otherwise we would have done it.”

“As soon as we received the information that in the opinion of the stewards Fernando should have given back position to Robert, he was already very far behind and was really slowing down because he had a problem. We feel (the penalty) is very harsh,” added Domenicali.