Fernando Alonso Slams F1 After Practice Dilemma

Fernando Alonso has hit out at Formula One Management and the FIA after FP1 was red-flagged after just seven minutes yesterday.

The red flag was put on the session when the CCTV cameras went down around the track meaning that the live footage of the cars on the track was not being fed back to race control. Fans were not happy about the situation, and Alonso has said that "it seems we are shooting [ourselves] in our feet."

Speaking after the second practice session yesterday, the two-time champion explained to the media:

"It was a shame. I think it was not ideal for the teams, but mostly it was for the fans that came very early to the circuit, and we were not able to run in FP1.

"From time to time it seems that we are shooting [ourselves] in our feet as a sport. These things are a little bit embarrassing."

The Spanish driver went on to add that there should always be a back up in place in case this sort of thing happens, but there wasn't. He continued:

"But there was not one, as so often in this sport."

As a result of the shortened first practice, free practice two was extended by half an hour to give the teams, drivers, and fans a ninety minute session which gave the teams an opportunity to gather the necessary data.

The third and final practice session is currently under way in wet conditions ahead of the qualifying session later today, which is also expected to be in the rain.

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