Alonso criticises grid reset after disrupted Sepang start

Fernando Alonso called race control’s handling of Sepang’s disrupted start unfair after being returned from a temporary tenth place to his original twelfth starting position. Cars from several teams had stopped on track.

GPBeat · Newsroom04 Oct 2026, 21:17 · 2 min

Fernando Alonso criticised race control’s handling of the interrupted start procedure at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Restoring the original starting order at Sepang erased the two places he had temporarily gained.

Alonso’s original starting position was 12th, with Lewis Hamilton second and Gabriel Bortoleto tenth. RacingNews365 reported that the Aston Martin driver continued through the disrupted warm-up sequence and passed Hamilton and Bortoleto, briefly moving up to tenth. When the procedure resumed, Alonso returned to 12th and Hamilton to second.

In a post-race Viaplay interview quoted by RacingNews365 Nederland, Alonso called the handling unfair and accused race control of favouring Ferrari. “But only when something happens to Ferrari do they stop the race,” he said.

Heavy rain had already delayed the planned start by 40 minutes. During the warm-up sequence behind the safety car, Max Verstappen briefly stopped and held up the field. Hamilton’s Ferrari, both Audis and both Cadillacs also stopped. RacingNews365 described the renewed start delay as a response to the danger posed by cars stopping on track.

Alonso said he had not suffered the starting problem and had retired from half the races that year. He initially joked that a stoppage would also be welcome when Aston Martin needed time to fix its problems and continue.

Hamilton eventually finished third. Alonso took eighth, his best result of the year, earning four championship points and finishing 0.621 seconds ahead of ninth-placed Lando Norris.

Claims and supporting evidence 7

Alonso called race control’s handling unfair and alleged preferential treatment for Ferrari.

Supported as Alonso’s post-race opinion and allegation in a Viaplay interview, not as an official finding about race control’s motives.

[1]

The final starting grid placed Hamilton second, Bortoleto tenth and Alonso twelfth.

The FIA grid explicitly identifies each position and car number. These are starting positions, not qualifying results.

[2]

Alonso temporarily reached tenth after passing Hamilton and Bortoleto, before the restored starting order returned him to twelfth and Hamilton to second.

RacingNews365 reports the temporary order and its restoration. The FIA grid confirms the original positions but does not explain the restoration.

[1][2]

Heavy rain initially delayed the planned start by 40 minutes before the safety-car-led warm-up sequence.

The race account records the rain delay and the subsequent pre-start chronology.

[1]

Verstappen, Hamilton, both Audis and both Cadillacs stopped; RacingNews365 described the renewed delay as a safety response.

The multi-team stoppages are material context for Alonso’s allegation. The safety rationale is attributed to the publication’s account, not presented as a reproduced FIA ruling.

[1]

Alonso said he had not experienced the starting problem and had retired from half the races that year, joking that Aston Martin would also welcome repair time.

These are his reported remarks. The retirement comparison remains attributed rather than being adopted as a verified season statistic.

[1]

Hamilton finished third; Alonso finished eighth, earned four points and beat ninth-placed Norris by 0.621 seconds. Eighth was Alonso’s best result of the year.

The FIA final classification confirms the positions, points and finishing interval. RacingNews365 supplies the season-best comparison.

[3][1]

This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.