A Formula 1 world champion has managed to climb three places in the drivers’ championship standings, even though he didn’t score a single point at the Japanese Grand Prix. <\/b><\/p>\n
\nTwo-time champion Fernando Alonso was not even included in the official ranking<\/a><\/b> after the first two grand prix weekends, having failed to finish either of the two main races at the Australian or Chinese grands prix.
<\/p>\n \nIt meant that he was not classified in either event, with drivers having to complete 90 per cent of the race winner’s distance in order to be classified as a finisher, regardless of whether they make it to the end or not.
<\/p>\n \nAlonso’s nightmare start to the season continued in Japan, crashing out in FP1<\/a><\/b> before failing to make it out of Q2 in qualifying, although he did manage to outqualify Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll.
<\/p>\n \nHowever, Alonso came within less than three seconds of securing his first world championship point of the season during Sunday’s race, finally finishing a full-length race for the first time since the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP.
<\/p>\n \nAlonso finished 11th, behind Haas<\/a>‘ Ollie Bearman, and he remains point-less in the drivers’ championship, while team-mate Stroll has picked up 10 points already this season.
<\/p>\n Alonso receives standings promotion<\/p>\n