Alonso does not back Todt ‘protocols’ rumours

Fernando Alonso has refused to back Jean Todt’s reported decision to publish a list of local “protocols” prior to each grand prix.

In the wake of Lewis Hamilton’s brush with police in Melbourne, prompting Mark Webber to slam the “nanny state”, race promoter Ron Walker revealed that Todt will respond by issuing to teams a “list of what can be done in this country and the rules and regulations for the (other) places they visit”.

Ferrari driver Alonso is quoted as saying by Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport that he thought Todt’s rumoured reaction is “completely exaggerated”.

“I don’t know what happened with Hamilton, but if a 25-year-old guy is driving a sports car and makes a bit of noise with the tyres, and then we talk about it for a week and then make a ‘protocol’ list, I think that’s an exaggeration,” said the Spaniard.

Alonso, 28 – who was also captured by a mobile phone video camera speeding through the Melbourne streets last week – said it would not be right if the GPDA issued any sanctions against Hamilton.

“No, it’s a personal situation and I don’t think we (the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association) need to say anything,” he added.

As for his own Melbourne indiscretion being captured and posted on YouTube, Alonso said: “The internet is a very good thing and also very bad; there are people who use it for the wrong reasons.”

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