Aston Martin hit with ‘significant’ double fine for unusual FIA infringement
Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso have both been fined.
Aston Martin has been handed two €25,000 fines (€15,000 suspended per fine), after Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll missed a fan engagement activity on Friday.
The team was handed what was described as a “significant fine” for this infringement, with both drivers having been absent from the Friday Fan Engagement session in Abu Dhabi.
Aston Martin handed minimum €20,000 fine for drivers missing fan activity
Aston Martin has been fined €25,000 for each driver, though €15,000 of each penalty has been suspended for 12 months in case of a repeat offence.
Drivers are required to appear at different FIA-mandated sessions during race weekends, including media activities and fan events.
Both Alonso and Stroll missed FP1 on Friday, but the stewards noted that Aston Martin believed that their full-time drivers would not be required to attend the fan activity in question, with reserves able to be sent instead.
As part of the stewards’ verdict, the FIA has accepted a proposal from Aston Martin to make up for the drivers missing this fan forum by handing signed team caps to those wearing Aston Martin merchandise in the fan zone at Yas Marina, along with two randomly-selected fans set to be offered a tour of the team’s garage – on the condition a report is provided that these activities have been completed.
However, that does not change the significant nature of this fine, with the team immediately fined €10,000 apiece, with the potential of having to pay a further €15,000 for further infringements.
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The stewards noted: “Whilst acknowledging the obligation to appear is sometimes inconvenient to drivers especially in cases such as this where there was a 5 hour period between the Fan Engagement and FP2, the Stewards also acknowledge that fans are the core of Formula 1 and the importance of this is recognised by the FIA through the inclusion of Article 19 in its Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.
“In particular the Stewards noted the submission from Formula 1 contained in the report from the FIA Media Delegate, that many fans had waited for several hours in the heat, to see the drivers at the Fan Engagement.
“Accordingly, the non appearance was the result of a failure by the competitor, and therefore a significant fine is imposed, and it is recommended that the proceeds of this fine be allocated at the FIA’s discretion, to the encouragement of fans in this region to become involved in motorsport as officials or by engaging in grassroots motorsport activities.”
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