Fernando Alonso rages Lewis Hamilton should start back of the grid for Saudi GP

Fernando Alonso wants Lewis Hamilton to be punished for using his fifth engine of the season and says he should start from the back of the grid in Saudi Arabia.

Current F1 regulations dictate that drivers are allowed to use three new engines over the course of the season, and face sanctions if they go beyond that.

Hamilton was slapped with a 10-place penalty at the Turkish Grand Prix in October after Mercedes put a new engine into his car, the Briton’s fourth of the season.

The German constructor then changed the internal combustion unit again ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, which saw Hamilton hit with a five-place grid penalty.

Fernando Alonso has hit out at Lewis Hamilton's engine changes — Fernando Alonso has hit out at Lewis Hamilton’s engine changes
(Image: XPB Images/PA Images)

Starting from tenth, the seven-time world champion pulled off the drive of his life to claim victory in Sao Paolo, helping him close the gap to Max Verstappen.

With a relatively fresh engine in his car, Hamilton cruised to victory in the first ever Qatar Grand Prix in mid-November, making further inroads into his rival’s world championship lead.

Two-time F1 champion Alonso isn’t happy with his former team-mate’s engine situation and believes he should receive a much stricter punishment at the upcoming Saudi Grand Prix.

Should Hamilton be demoted to the back of the grid in Saudi Arabia? Let us know in the comments section.

Hamilton has used five engines so far this season

“Those who have exceeded a certain number of engines per year should be sent to the back of the grid,” Alonso fumed to Spanish outlet AS.

Alonso’s comments echo those of Verstappen who argued that Hamilton’s punishment made little sense, given how easily the star made his way through the grid with the extra power at his disposal.

Max Verstappen has seen his lead slashed at the top of the drivers' championship — Max Verstappen has seen his lead slashed at the top of the drivers’ championship

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The Dutchman is facing a battle to hold onto his lead in the world championship, having seen his gap to Hamilton shrink to just eight points across the last two Grand Prix.

After the 36-year-old’s win in Brazil, Verstappen moaned: “In theory Mercedes can put in a new combustion engine every Grand Prix, take five places penalty and benefit from the power boost.”