Stroll given Alonso warning after ‘life-threatening’ move on Vettel

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    Lance Stroll has been slammed for his latest dicey manoeuvre by former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve.

    The Canadian was hit with a 10-second penalty for forcing Aston Martin teammate Sebastian Vettel off the track at high speed as they battle for position during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix sprint race. In-car footage showed that Vettel, who will retire following this weekend’s season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, took to the grass at almost 190mph.

    A similar incident occurred at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. However, on that occasion Alpine’s Fernando Alonso, who will be Stroll’s teammate next season, hit the Aston Martin and rode up into the air before brushing the barrier. Incredibly, the Spaniard managed to continue while Stroll, whose race was ended on the spot, was handed a three-place grid penalty for the next round in Mexico.

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    Following the Brazil incident, Stroll conceded he didn’t leave Vettel enough room. Drivers are obliged to give the car they are battling with at least a car’s width of space

    Fellow Canadian and 1997 world champion Villeneuve was left furious by the move, insisting it was far worse than the collision between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, which landed the latter with a five-second penalty.

    Villeneuve believes Stroll should have been punished far more severely. While Vettel declined to criticise his teammate, Villeneuve is sure Alonso will not take such behaviour so well.

    What do you think of Lance Stroll's driving? Tell us in the comments section below.


    “Verstappen was given a five-second penalty, while he was not given any space by Hamilton. It was aggressive from both sides, a racing incident in my view,” said Villeneuve in his column for Formule1.nl.

    “But Lance Stroll will receive a 10-second penalty on Saturday for a life-threatening manoeuvre. The way he swings and blocks, that's just not possible. That's not racing. He did it in Austin, in Mexico he was aggressive with Gasly and now this.

    “The FIA doesn't punish this hard enough, not even in the step-up classes, and then it keeps happening. Sebastian Vettel, his teammate and the victim of the incident, is a true gentleman. But I don't think Fernando Alonso will be so calm next year.”

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