Watch: Mercedes deliver Fernando Alonso’s P3 podium trophy to Aston Martin HQ

Sam Cooper
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso celebrates third place at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Jeddah, March 2023.

The Saudi Arabia P3 trophy has been hand delivered to Aston Martin after it went home with Mercedes from the race.

George Russell was in possession of the P3 spot for just a few hours after Fernando Alonso’s saw his original podium place reduced to P4 following a 10-second penalty for not observing an existing penalty correctly.

But, long after the chequered flag had been waved, there was still much debate as to who would be taking home the P3 trophy as Aston Martin argued that the rear jack person touching the car did not count as beginning work on the car.

They were successful in their appeal with Alonso being reinstated back into third but such was the delay that the trophy had already been taken away from the track with Mercedes.

But all’s right with the world once again as Mercedes hand delivered the trophy to Aston Martin’s base.

The Silver Arrows took to social media to document the journey which starts with Russell wearing a pair of fetching white gloves whilst polishing the trophy before it is strapped in safely in a Mercedes road car.

The car then takes the eight-mile journey up the A43 before arriving at the gates of Aston Martin’s base situated next to the Silverstone circuit.

Aston Martin duly opened the doors and allowed the Mercedes employee to delicately place the trophy inside of a cabinet.

Earlier there had been some playful banter between Alonso and Russell with the Brit posting a picture of him holding the trophy before asking Alonso what his address was.

The Spaniard replied with a gif of actor/wrestler Dave Bautista shouting “give me what I want.”

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Fernando Alonso bemoans ‘poor show from the FIA’

Speaking after he had lost his P3 spot initially, Alonso said he was not too disheartened and said it was a far more embarrassing day for the FIA.

“It doesn’t hurt much, to be honest,” Alonso told Sky Sports F1.

“I was on the podium, I did the pictures, did the trophy, celebrated with the champagne and yeah, now I have apparently three points less – I don’t have 15, I have 12.

“I think it is more a poor show from the FIA today, more than disappointment from ourselves. You cannot apply a penalty 25 laps after the pit-stop.

“They had enough time to really inform about the penalty because, if I knew that, maybe I could have opened 11 seconds to the car behind.”

Aston Martin Fernando Alonso Mercedes

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