Fernando Alonso says that his audacious move at the start of the Russian Grand Prix was purely to prove a long-held view, namely that different rules apply to different people.

On his way to the grid ahead of the race, the Spaniard appeared to make a mistake at Turn 2, missing the corner and driving through the re-entry bollards as laid out in the rules.

At the start of the race proper, he once again missed the corner, and cutting through the bollards had made up a couple of positions, though he subsequently slowed and handed them back.

It was clear that the pre-race incident was a rehearsal of what he had planned for the start of the Grand Prix, and speaking in Turkey today, the two-time champion, admitted that the move, which was intentional, and went unpunished, was a means of proving a long-held view.

"It was just to confirm that when I do things, they have a different behaviour, and a different repercussion on the following event," said the Spaniard. "So now, maybe they change the run-off area in lap 1 in the first couple of corners."

Alonso has previously warned that rivals had pulled similar stunts on the opening lap.

"I've been the idiot on track for most of the championship," he said, "I've been overtaken from the outside of the asphalt by many people for the first couple of races. Even in Austria, I remember Austria 1 and Austria 2, and nothing happened. There were no questions on the following race.

"Now after Sochi, there is a question. It's a confirmation," he added. "It was a confirmation of many things...

"One that there are different rules for different people or different, let's say, talks the week after for different people. Let's see the next one that crosses the white line on the pit entry. Let's see which nationality he is and which penalty he will get."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 08/10/2021 7:30

"@ Mad Matt...I fully agree with you. There is much room for the adoption of different penalties. I particularly like the MOTO GP solution to track limits infractions whereby riders who abuse them get to run the long lap. It's more or less immediate and it works the same for all. The bollards used for those who run off the track and have to rejoin safely are an example similar to the 'long lap' concept. Adopting time penalties after the race is concluded is just wrong IMO."

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2. Posted by Mad Matt, 08/10/2021 6:42

"I too thought he would get a penalty. I can sort of understand that he drove much slower than normal and tried not to lose control at that point so there could be room for leniency... but as Kenji says, in the end he did cross the line and there could have been an accident regardless of his intentions.

Overall I'd rather the rules were enforced more uniformly for things like this and track limits... well in general actually, even if sometimes people get punished for what appear to be minor infringements. I think the drivers would adapt and everyone would feel they were being treated more fairly."

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3. Posted by kenji, 07/10/2021 22:46

"@ Batman...thank you for your response. "

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4. Posted by Batman, 07/10/2021 15:55

"@kenji
I saw this incident on TV and I thought, poor boy, he just have added misery to his worst nightmare, crossing the pit entry line and adding another time penalty. Surprisingly, later on, came the information that no more action will be taken on that situation.
It was a completely undeserved racing end to the incredebly talented Lando but, on this one I have to agree with kenji. Alonso is playing the elephant in the living room."

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5. Posted by kenji, 07/10/2021 13:43

"I do share Alonso's opinion regarding some rather strange stewards decisions, especially the Norris/pit entry white line determination. IMO that was a binary action. It either happened or it did not...it happened. No grey areas."

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Alonso: Sochi move proved a point

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