Alpine has completely lost a double points finish at Formula 1's Mexican Grand Prix after both of its drivers were hit with post-race penalties for yellow flag infringements, as The Race reports. Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly originally crossed the line in eighth and 10th positions. They were then promoted to seventh and ninth after Oscar Piastri received a 10-second post-race time penalty for a clash with Arvid Lindblad at Turn 1. Unfortunately, that eight-point haul vanished entirely once the stewards reviewed the drivers' actions under the yellows.
Colapinto picked up a 10-second time penalty for passing a single waved yellow flag without slowing down enough. Alpine and the driver presented telemetry and photographic evidence to prove he had complied with the regulations by reducing speed and being prepared to change direction. Sadly, the stewards were not convinced that the reduction was sufficient. He was at least cleared of speeding through a double waved yellow flag in the previous sector due to sufficient doubt over whether he had enough warning. Even so, the 10-second penalty dropped him down to 15th place.
Team-mate Gasly suffered an even heavier blow. He was handed a stop-and-go penalty that was converted into a 30-second time drop, leaving him 17th and last among the classified finishers. Alpine and Gasly argued that the driver had made a significant reduction in speed in the double yellow flag sector. Yet, after a detailed examination of the telemetry alongside data from other cars passing through the same sector, the stewards concluded the small reduction was simply not enough. Because this was a double waved yellow flag infringement, Gasly also picked up two penalty points.
Both drivers issued apologies in the team's post-race press release despite Alpine having argued their case in the hearings. Gasly admitted his error stopped the team from scoring points and noted there were issues to look at, calling it not a great day with a lot to reflect on. Colapinto also took the blame, calling it his mistake in the car while acknowledging it was difficult to really understand.
The fallout from these penalties shakes up the lower points paying positions significantly. Liam Lawson, who started from the pitlane, inherits seventh place. That gives Racing Bulls six more points, pushing them 35 clear of Alpine in their fierce battle for fifth in the constructors' championship. Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar are promoted into the points in eighth and ninth respectively, while Ryo Hirakawa picks up a single point on his surprise debut for Haas in 10th place.
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