Formula One driver Alonso joins list of race stewards’ critics

Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso slammed the FIA on Friday, accusing race stewards of incompetence and saying one of the directors lacks the professionalism for the role.

The Spaniard was infuriated two weeks ago at the Miami Grand Prix after he was penalized late in the race while running in contention to score points. Alonso claimed Friday at the Spanish Grand Prix that his Alpine team submitted evidence to have his penalty overturned, but the stewards had already made their decision and were done working for the day.

“We believe that it was very unfair and it was just incompetence from the stewards — they were not very professional,” Alonso said.“we arrived after the race with all the proof ... and they were just packing up. They were not even in the room.”

Alonso’s criticism comes amid tension between race management by FIA, the governing body for F1, and teams that stems from last season’s finale in Abu Dhabi controversially won by Max Verstappen.

The drivers have been at odds with race director Niels Wittich for more than a month after the race director issued a ban on wearing jewelry and noncompliant underwear while in the car.

Lewis Hamilton has been given a two-race waiver to compete with piercings the seven-time champion says can only be surgically removed and he protested the ban in Miami by arriving at the track wearing as much jewelry as he could fit; Sebastian Vettel, meanwhile, wore a pair of underwear over his firesuit as he walked through the paddock in his own protest.