The weekend started with the one and only practice session where Alex finished in the top 10. Ultimately he qualified 14th out of the 30 drivers which wasn’t ideal but a position that would allow him to target a top 10 position, his target for the year as a rookie, and some important points.
Race 1 saw Alex get a good start and he was soon in 11th position. He then lost a position to Armstrong and then got a strong hit from behind from Daruvala as he entered the main straight which forced Alex into a big correction allowing his opponent through. No re-dress or penalty followed for Daruvala for the ‘bump and run’.
While attempting to pass Beckmann on the outside and while side by side they touched wheels – Alex went wide and returned on track while Beckmann retired with a bent steering arm (identical situation to when Alex had to retire in Silverstone). Alex then recovered some positions to finish 13th. However a stewards investigation into the incident resulted in the most severe of penalties, a 10 second stop/go which was then turned into a direct 30 second penalty given the race had finished. Alex and his team were in shock. The similar incident in Silverstone that forced Alex to retire saw his opponent receive no penalty. When also compared to the ram from behind in Austria where the driver was given just 5 seconds for compromising Alex’s weekend, this new ruling left everyone breathless.
Alex lined up 26th in race 2 and fought hard on a track where passing is extremely difficult given its tight nature. Despite the challenges Alex carved his way through the field to finish 16th. He’ll now focus on those things he can control and bounce back at SPA in Belgium at the end of the month.
It’s no doubt become a difficult learning year but Alex and his team are confident in their potential and they fight on.
