Mercedes boss Toto Wolff used an analogy about sending criminals to prison when calling for Fernando Alonso to be punished at the Dutch Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton failed to make it into Q3 during qualifying on Saturday because he was impeded while attempting a hot lap.

Yuki Tsunoda was hit with a three-place penalty for holding up the Mercedes driver during his final attempt, which cost him progression into the final session. Hamilton had to settle for P13 on the grid.

However, Wolff also called for Alonso to be punished after the Spaniard allegedly impeded Hamilton earlier on. “I think Lewis had really good pace all week and insofar it’s really painful to see that, because of traffic, you’re not making yourself going into Q3, which you would have deserved,” he said.

“I think also the impeding is pretty ugly to look at. I don’t know whether it’s become a bit of a pattern because people simply don’t care or not get penalised. I mean, if I see the impeding from Alonso in Q1 that’s clear impeding and there was no further investigation. So some need to open their eyes.

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“I think the answer is penalise. Penalise, penalise. If you know you don’t go to prison when you cheat at tax, you cheat at tax.

“I don’t understand why these things are not penalised. This was clear impeding with some drivers in Q1. Tsunoda is a nice guy, but he impeded Lewis in his quick lap, he didn’t move from the dry line. You can see he dived on the inside and it didn’t look like it’s cost much but going from a dry line into wet line, back into a dry line, cost. I think a tenth would have put him into Q3. So we need to be harsh with penalties and then people will again look in the mirrors.”

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Alonso went on to secure P5 and explained why he hopes the weather is clear when the lights go out this afternoon. He said: “The first three laps for me, I didn’t put the put a lap on the board in Q1. But it was not only for me obviously. That was also a moment with Lewis there in the last corner.

“It is a very short track, no visibility. So even for Sunday, I hope for a dry race just because visibility… it is the most dangerous part of racing at the moment.”

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