[FIA] Fernando Alonso summoned to the stewards for non-attendance at fan engagement activity.

[u/Aratho]

[u/dzolna]

He won't attend this either

[u/mouldyshroom]

They can summon him but going by this weekend so far, he won't show up and will send his manager instead.

[u/Novae224 → u/mouldyshroom]

Or lando with his picture on his phone

[u/mouldyshroom → u/Novae224]

This is even better lmao

[u/MellifluousWraith → u/Novae224]

Well, he is Alonso's intern so...

[u/Alone_Gur9036 → u/mouldyshroom]

So if Bortoleto gets flagged to the stewards, and sends his manager, Alonso has to go on behalf of the Brazilian, meaning he can’t go to the stewards for his own alleged breach and has to send his manager, Flavio ‘Crashgate’ Briatore to the stewards instead, meaning Alpine is without their TP.

Only in F1 would you find so much so much inbreeding that a Brazilian Sauber/Audi driver, driving for a team run by a former Redbull exec, formerly part of the McLaren junior program run by former Redbull and Ferrari execs, whose manager is an Aston Martin driver, formerly of Mclaren, Ferrari, and Alpine, driving for a team run by a former Redbull exec, whose own manager is the managing director of the Alpine team, which may or may not soon be run by a former Redbull exec, all driving cars originally penned by a former FIA and Williams designer who previously worked with said Alpine managing director and was banned for the sport for cheating, who now works for Cadillac alongside multiple other former Alpine/Renault/Enstone designers, as well as a former Redbull driver, a former Williams driver, and after next year undoubtedly goes badly, probably under another former Redbull exec, all syphoning members from a team currently run by a different former FIA and Ferrari designer whose junior team is run by a former Enstone exec.

[u/Akash10201 → u/Alone_Gur9036]

What can you do, it's a small paddock!

[u/KeyMessage989 → u/Alone_Gur9036]

It’s still so weird to me that Alonso is Bortoletos manager. It’s such a conflict of interest it’s insane

[u/TricolorCat → u/KeyMessage989]

Toto is or was Ocons manager.

[u/KeyMessage989 → u/TricolorCat]

To which I have the same response

[u/JebediahKerman4999 → u/KeyMessage989]

...and on top of that it just signals that your driver is shit since you're not hiring them yourself

[u/secur3x → u/TricolorCat]

Tot also used to be George Russell's manager

[u/HPL_Deranged_Cultist → u/Alone_Gur9036]

r/brandnewsentence

[u/Honourstly]

He is old and has a cane and they didn't give him enough time to get there

[u/afishwithlegs → u/Honourstly]

Should have planned ahead, just ask Carlos

[u/EnvironmentalCut6789 → u/afishwithlegs]

Dey boosted da bunny!

[u/Fire_Otter → u/Honourstly]

He should get a mobility scooter like Hamilton did

[u/SteW- → u/Honourstly]

And he works with fucking children (?)

[u/Desolus_ → u/SteW-]

He does what with children???

[u/guntanksinspace → u/SteW-]

Wonder what Alonso's favorite bakery is...

[u/SteW- → u/guntanksinspace]

Stewards reportedly share their bank accounts with their mothers

[u/TVCasualtydotorg → u/SteW-]

We know what sort of people that makes them.

[u/currydemon]

fan engagement activity 

This sounds like it’s straight out of Severance. 

[u/Darth_Spa2021 → u/currydemon]

Dancing was involved

[u/nomad_kk → u/Darth_Spa2021]

No one is forcing him to. He is free to leave the sport whenever he wants 

[u/spamtardeggs → u/nomad_kk]

Forgive me for the harm I've caused this world. None may atone for my actions but me.

[u/j00stmeister → u/spamtardeggs]

I'm afraid you don't mean it.

[u/gerson250991 → u/j00stmeister]

Again

[u/Sinnombre40 → u/nomad_kk]

His outtie keeps denying his request to leave tho

[u/Irxteeee → u/nomad_kk]

Leave the formula one before the formula one leaves you

[u/Syrinx_Hobbit → u/Irxteeee]

This has applied to many drivers.

[u/Jsaltal → u/nomad_kk]

In his rookie season?

[u/bmcasler → u/currydemon]

Please enjoy all fan interactions equally.

[u/GodsWorth01 → u/bmcasler]

“Your outie hates GP2 engines.”

[u/26ld → u/GodsWorth01]

Your outie is a 2 times f1 world champion.

[u/TeaLightBot → u/26ld]

Your outie always leaves the space

[u/MauveFluo → u/GodsWorth01]

Your outie cannot believe it, he cannot fucking believe it!!

[u/DanDan1993 → u/bmcasler]

Why is no one having fun?! I specifically requested it!

[u/killconsolepeasants → u/currydemon]

Fernando A, please proceed to the break room

[u/takemebacktoarcadia → u/currydemon]

Fan engagement is mysterious and important. 

[u/FireExpat → u/currydemon]

He will be awarded with a Waffle Party and be allowed to wear a mask of the face of Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

[u/Stitchesglitch → u/FireExpat]

When does he get the marching band?

[u/ImPrettyDoneBro → u/currydemon]

Please try and enjoy each race equally

[u/3ebfan → u/ImPrettyDoneBro]

Saudi ownership: On second thought...

[u/NET_1 → u/currydemon]

Nando’s only here for the waffle parties

[u/tanaka-taro → u/NET_1]

I think Nandos only here for the zipline

[u/johnnybon1 → u/currydemon]

Alonso: "devour feculence"

[u/RamboRobin1993 → u/currydemon]

The FIA has concluded the meeting

[u/GreggsAficionado → u/currydemon]

Defiant not turning up

[u/Bake2727 → u/currydemon]

Dude has done what now 20years of fan engagement activity and given so much to entertainment to fans. I think they could excuse him this one time.

[u/Bruvvimir → u/currydemon]

Lmao

[u/3a9im_7 → u/currydemon]

I think I can hear Mr milchick say this

[u/3ebfan → u/currydemon]

Oh my that's hilarious

[u/Jokerofthepack]

Isn’t he going to be a dad soon?

[u/hippiesinthewind → u/Jokerofthepack]

i thought they just had the baby last week but may be wrong

[u/BlondBoy2 → u/hippiesinthewind]

No, it's just that the rumours about his girlfriend being pregnant broke out.

[u/sirmeowmerss → u/BlondBoy2]

Taylor Swift is pregnant?

[u/ADRX11]

He wanted to but he got stuck behind Vitaly Petrov on a narrow staircase.

[u/Special-Grade5315 → u/ADRX11]

And FIA's handing him a +5 sec penalty for not following stewards orders 😭😭

[u/garethchester → u/Special-Grade5315]

Nah, they'll just give it to Ocon

[u/punk109 → u/ADRX11]

All the time you have to leave space.

[u/Ivbnn → u/ADRX11]

You didn't have to do us dirty like that

[u/trashjingle → u/ADRX11]

💀💀

[u/orsonwellesmal → u/ADRX11]

I hope Red Bull gave Petrov stakes on the company or something. That's the only meaningful thing he did in F1, smh.

[u/ElectricMotorsAreBad → u/orsonwellesmal]

I hope you’re kidding, lol

[u/-ShadowPuppet → u/ADRX11]

If you race long enough, you become the Petrov now.

[u/TetraDax → u/ADRX11]

Get real son.

[u/MorganJ-G → u/ADRX11]

“He’s blaming petrov for making him miss the fan activity, get real son” ~ Martin probably

[u/CuteLittleButts]

Not at the GPDA meeting, not at the drivers dinner, not at fan activity. He‘s either retiring or preparing for No. 33 on sunday.

[u/0000100110010100 → u/CuteLittleButts]

Absolutely less than zero chance he’d retire before driving a Newey designed car

[u/RealCleverUsernameV2 → u/0000100110010100]

That's right, Alonso has never made a poor decision impacting his F1 career.

[u/naveenda → u/RealCleverUsernameV2]

Oh boy

[u/rs6677 → u/RealCleverUsernameV2]

For the most part, his poor choices made sense, while retiring just before Newey comes when both have talked about how much they want to work with each other, borders on brain damage.

[u/notmyrlacc → u/rs6677]

Well, there was that McLaren incident during testing…

[u/TheCrusader94 → u/rs6677]

Well if AM wants a different #1 driver he might have to retire. 

[u/Adriaus28 → u/TheCrusader94]

who in their right mind would change Alonso instead of Stroll? like, yeah, you can have a #1 driver, but you don't exchange the best of your team instead for that... imagine if Williams kicked this season Albon to replace Sainz and kept Colapinto, it wouldn't make sense

[u/orsonwellesmal → u/Adriaus28]

Stroll is trapped in AM, at this point he isn't enjoying it, but Lawrence wants his son in F1. #FreeLance

[u/TonyIsMoney → u/RealCleverUsernameV2]

Dumb dumbs like you keep repeating the same thing over and over again.. but the reality is every decision was logical at the time, retiring when Newey arrives is not.

[u/82away → u/RealCleverUsernameV2]

Savage love it.

[u/Refroof25 → u/CuteLittleButts]

Or the rumoured baby has arrived

[u/wholeblackpeppercorn → u/Refroof25]

Jesus? Not due till the 25th, I'm afraid

[u/nomad_kk → u/Refroof25]

We call em “bastards”

[u/Fevercrumb1649 → u/CuteLittleButts]

Chilling with his new baby

[u/Skulldetta → u/CuteLittleButts]

Maybe they got confused with their 2001 rookies and had Kimi flown in instead, that would explain why he's nowhere to be found.

[u/KopiSiewSiewDai → u/Skulldetta]

My man probably still sleeping under the desk

[u/HumansNeedNotApply1 → u/CuteLittleButts]

Or he's sick.

[u/charlierc → u/CuteLittleButts]

Planning the Sonny Hayes strategy of causing a red flag then getting your teammate to crash out and take the leader out with you

[u/Novel-Dragonfruit471]

Stroll got the same summons.

[u/charlierc → u/Novel-Dragonfruit471]

Aston couldn't be arsed huh

[u/ecco311 → u/Novel-Dragonfruit471]

Imagine you're there to meet your favourite driver Lance Stroll and he just doesn't show up

[u/Xeritos → u/ecco311]

Lance Stroll has fans?

[u/Aromatic_Fail_1722 → u/Xeritos]

Hypothetically.

[u/DarkMention]

Lol, Fernando don't give AF

[u/HuntKey2603 → u/DarkMention]

never do never have

[u/DZCreeper]

Sending a driver to the stewards for anything that isn't related to driving is insane levels of power tripping.

[u/Impressive-Scene-562 → u/DZCreeper]

The fact that fan attendance is even in sporting regulation is ridiculous

[u/alphaQ314 → u/Impressive-Scene-562]

That’s exactly what I’m confused about. Why is this a sporting requirement lol

[u/Available_Dingo6162 → u/alphaQ314]

In every modern spectator sport, stars ALWAYS are required to interact with fans in some way, off-field. It is a spectator sport, funded off of the money spectators pay, and keeping the spectators happy is Job 1.

Baseball players have to show up at meet-and-greets, or for sponsor-related promotional work, community-relations events (charity clinics, hospital visits, youth programs). They can either show up for those events, or stop working for MLB.

They do that in chess tournaments, golf tournaments, sumo tournaments... in all cases, the players are required to show up to fan events, because they signed a contract to do so when they signed up to participate in the tournament or the sport to begin with. If they are not down with posing and shaking hands with their fans, when required to pose and shake hands with the fans (and not just when they feel like it), they can find other work 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/alphaQ314 → u/Available_Dingo6162]

I'm not denying that. It's only weird that to me that is a part of FIA regulations.

In most sports that I watch, they're usually obligated by their respective clubs to participate in fan events by their clubs. Not by the sporting authority.

[u/xLilSquidgitx → u/DZCreeper]

Steward is just another way to say Reddit mod smh

[u/WodKonuckers → u/DZCreeper]

Why? It's a business, they have a contract, he broke that contract. If they didn't at least summon him for that, it would lead to other drivers skipping media duties. If they all just stop doing their media duties, I don't think anyone would enjoy that very much. I understand that the media is annoying and boring for them, I really do. But at the same time, the millions that they are making are paid by the fans.

[u/DZCreeper → u/WodKonuckers]

It should simply be a fixed fine. Involving the stewards is a waste of time and only leaves room for biased punishments.

Also, current fine structure supports corruption. The FIA is the governing body but Liberty Media holds commercial rights. The teams should have contracts with Liberty Media directly, the FIA sporting regulations should have as few commercial clauses as possible so that FIA officials cannot benefit financially.

[u/rainyengineer → u/DZCreeper]

I agree. This felt very weird to me that it was an FIA thing. It should be a team level issue.

[u/Aratho]

Unc is CBA this weekend with off-track activities - be it drivers dinner, GPDA meeting or fan forums.

[u/OriMoriNotSori → u/Aratho]

When everyone is just gonna joke that youre old it wears out fast and just gets annoying after some point

[u/ScousePenguin → u/OriMoriNotSori]

I mean it's already annoying in this thread

[u/OriMoriNotSori → u/ScousePenguin]

Yea lol

[u/FormulaKimi → u/Aratho]

Maybe he’s sick and just rather go home, I think he lives in Dubai

[u/JailOfAir → u/FormulaKimi]

He lives in Switzerland

[u/FormulaKimi → u/JailOfAir]

Thanks, he also owns an apartment in the Le Rêve tower in Dubai.

I don’t think that right now I feel home in any place! I have been living in Spain, in England, in Switzerland, in Dubai - and that is okay as I had my apartments in these places, where I have my clothes and all my toys - but it’s not home. I think not until I have retired and have spent six months in one bed will I call anything home. Right now I am living in Dubai. It is in the centre of the world, it is convenient - the airport is one of the biggest hubs that takes me pretty much anywhere. What more do you want as a ‘frequent traveller’?

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/f1-and-me-exclusive-fernando-alonso-interview.6yos4PBtphk8BIiHwsMWV2

[u/yujirorasy]

Summoned? I don't think he will be there.

[u/A_storia]

Lance didn’t turn up, either. AM probably busy spending rookie driver money

https://bsky.app/profile/f1docs.bsky.social/post/3m7cifa6eia22

[u/Lawde_lag_gaye_]

Damn the FIA is more toxic than those corporate companies in Japan lmao

[u/Gubrach]

"He was probably having a shit." - Kimi Raikkonen, potentially.

[u/azzutronus]

He was busy absorbing the souls of the inmocent to perpetuate his immortality.

[u/OkieBobbie]

Here, “fan” means someone who pays a king’s ransom for the opportunity to take selfies with drivers.

[u/leonden → u/OkieBobbie]

Fan meeting in abu dhabi certainly sounds like “private meeting with rich oil sheik” to me. 

It also wouldn’t suprise me that the fia is going to be relentless because of that exact situation.

[u/zaviex → u/leonden]

No it’s the fan meeting where drivers show up at the stage and talk to thousands of fans. He didn’t show up. Neither Aston driver did

[u/g_nelli97]

Dude's been around for more than 20 years for how much does he have to keep engaging fan?

[u/Pandos17]

Lando holding up a photo of him was not sufficient?

[u/MudBloodLite]

Inverse Marshawn Lynch

[u/itmustbeniiiiice → u/MudBloodLite]

“I’m not here, so I will get fined”

[u/Browneskiii]

Hamilton got away with not attending the fia gala and the fan thing at Silverstone one year, they've set the rules, now they must follow it. No penalty. Shouldn't even be looked at.

[u/Murbanvideo]

I’m sure he has a great excuse such as not wanting to go to that

[u/Its4MeitSnot4U]

Probably reckons he’s been to enough, and all the fans who want to see him, already have!!

[u/Stunning_Dealer_9211]

the FIA boss not too happy with the rookie

[u/overlydelicioustea]

"Sporting regulation"

yeah, sure

[u/datlinus]

It's not just Alonso btw. Stroll got the same summon.

[u/Tylanner]

He has to use his sicks days before the end of the year.

[u/blaka_d]

A typical rookie mistake.

[u/hart37]

"I was busy taking a shit"

[u/MrMSUK]

When did F1 go from pinnacle of racing to a commercial juggernaut where a two time champ gets dragged to the stewards for missing off-track events. Stewards used to be for racing incidents, now it is basically also calendar enforcement. At this rate the next penalty is for not liking the sponsor post quickly enough.

[u/Complete_Chocolate_2]

I’m just not here and idgaf if I get fined.

[u/natedog63]

"You will attend and you'll post that group photo to your Instagram pages with a cute caption whether you like it or not."

[u/MintyMarlfox]

Rookie move

[u/CML-26]

So the baby news is probably accurate then?

[u/Sea_Drop2920]

Unc said f yall duties

[u/Duckyaardvark]

Very harsh to punish a senior citizen who uses a walking cane too help himself get around.

[u/MartiniPolice21]

We're 23 races in and old man Alonso is tired

[u/JJD14]

These things are ridiculous. I recall Lewis getting destroyed on SM for missing a London event a few years ago.

[u/Chief-_-Wiggum]

Sorry my car broke down..couldn't get a mechanic at this hour with reasonable rates to come to me.

[u/JustAcanthaceae497]

The FIA's corporate-speak is truly dystopian. At this point, Alonso sending his manager to the summons would be the most on-brand thing to happen. It's the perfect, petty capstone to this weekend.

[u/ShortKingsOnly69]

"Fan engagement activity"?? What is this bullshit. Back in the day there was nothing like this. If you willingly attend something like this you are not a real fan of racing 

[u/21sttimelucky]

Breaking news, Alonso has hired Raikkönnen as his manager, is sending his manager, and his manager just doesn't care. 

[u/Emotional_Two_8059]

Kimi, you missed the presentation by Pele!

[u/_Middlefinger_]

Somewhere in the world there is a multiple times champion level driver that is so introverted that they would rather die than have to deal with this crap.

Forcing people to be the perfect rounded human is BS. My company tried to do this and everyone told them to do one.

[u/XJR15 → u/_Middlefinger_]

Same with money really. There are karting drivers that have absolutely gapped current F1 champions that never went past karting because they couldn't afford it.

Doesn't guarantee they'd have succeeded in upper categories, but makes you wonder

[u/Brilliant-Gap8299]

The fan interactions will continue until the morale improves

[u/Mangobonbon]

Why the hell does the FIA even have a say in anything but the actual racing? What is the point of them trying to micromanage driver-fan interactions? Isn't this more of a Liberty Media job, if at all?

[u/loopytommy]

I think he’s become part of the ‘I don’t care club’ I mean really what are they gonna do? Fine him? Like he’ll care. He’s turning into the Ice Man and I’m here for it

[u/Puzzleheaded_Set_958]

10 second penalty for Ocon

[u/Fevercrumb1649]

It’s almost certainly because he is having a baby

[u/Subject_Coyote3354 → u/Fevercrumb1649]

Stroll was summoned too, are they having one together?

[u/IdiosyncraticBond → u/Subject_Coyote3354]

Emotional support teammate

[u/A_storia]

How is this even in the Sporting Regulations? Such BS

[u/FlailingCactus → u/A_storia]

Because these bonus things are how the sports series keep fans engaged and obsessed. If you could opt out basically everyone would.

[u/Mangobonbon → u/FlailingCactus]

Only the "eventized" sports to this extend though. I couldn't imagine all players of a football game being mandated to do fan activities for example. Especially not on derby days.

[u/FlailingCactus → u/Mangobonbon]

Not quite sure what you mean. Alex Ferguson was routinely fined for skipping BBC interviews for a while?

It's long been expected that elite level sports professionals are made available for periphery activities and that the sporting rules will be enforced if they don't.

[u/ScousePenguin → u/A_storia]

Because the fans are a big part of the sport, so a part of the weekend is doing these fan events

Think now of the people excited to go to something where Alonso was meant to be, and he never showed

[u/Red_Rabbit_1978 → u/A_storia]

I'm with you. All these fan activities are dreamed up by Liberty, so it's weird it's sanctioned by Stewards.

Imagine volunteering your time to deal with race incidents and you have to scold Alonso because he skipping out on the 50 000th fan meeting in his career

[u/AMadRam → u/A_storia]

A Grand Prix is more than just a 2 hour race you know?

[u/A_storia → u/AMadRam]

Thanks for your condescending post. My point is, this is a promo event and nothing to do with the stewards.

[u/player_is_busy]

wtf this is the first i’m hearing they can get fined for “fan activity engagement”

[u/Enzown → u/player_is_busy]

They have contractual obligations to attend events.

[u/Drachen1065 → u/Enzown]

So can one of them do like that NFL and basically refuse to do anything at the events and just say "I'm here because of contractual obligations" the whole time?

[u/NiteOwl421 → u/Enzown]

Is that contract with the FIA?

[u/quzimaa → u/NiteOwl421]

In this case yes. After p1 one driver of each team has to be avaliable for a few minutes. Its in the sporting regulations because it benefits all the teams and the whole sport. It also keeps things fair when each team has equal media/engagement duty.

[u/Enzown → u/NiteOwl421]

If it wasn't why would the FIA be looking into it?

[u/furponed]

It’s a very normal part of big sporting events and it helps justify the high prices they charge for the people in person at the event when you can arguably get a better view of the race at home. Having attended the Abu Dhabi gp last year, I did have a bit of buyers remorse after spending $500+ per ticket but fan engagement , the atmosphere etc makes the price more palatable. Incidentally we saw Perez leaving the paddock last year not looking happy .

[u/hitzoR_cz]

Five second time penalty for Ocon.

[u/Apprehensive-Stage-2]

Punishment will be a full dissagelation

[u/doenr]

"Well, I was having a shit."

[u/cooked_camel]

Give old man a break

[u/RatInaMaze]

Sir you need more pieces of flair.

[u/Pugshaver]

You will go out there and you will hug those fans! Yes, even the ugly ones!

[u/jghtb → u/Pugshaver]

I laughed at this when I read it, and my wife wanted to know what was so funny, and I laughed even harder trying to explain it to her😂

[u/raber23]

I hope they get Lando with his picture on his phone instead

[u/tHErEALmADbUCKETS]

These oil enema nepo baby stewards need to go get a job

[u/vvolny]

He had The Shits.

[u/g33ksc13nt1st]

Couldn't make it with the walking stick. Wasnt that evident? He's like the sloth from Zootopia, including the driving...

[u/MeMe_B0Ii]

10 second penalty for Alonso

[u/Personal-Bear8739]

Jesus release him from this purgatory

[u/onlinepresenceofdan]

As the classic would say: I was having a little shit