McLaren boss Ron Dennis has failed in a last ditch attempt to persuade the FIA to allow Fernando Alonso to take part in qualifying and the race in Bahrain, despite the Spaniard being ruled out on Thursday and sitting out Friday's action.
After practice on Friday, Alonso, Ron Dennis and McLaren team manager Dave Redding visited race control and met with key FIA players, including medical delegate Professor Jean-Charles Piette, who made the final call on Alonso's participation. The FIA stewards also met with Piette and decided that the original decision would stand.
The involvement of Dennis – who doesn't have an official role on race weekends – is highly unusual, and suggests that this was very much a personal initiative by the McLaren Group chairman.
It's believed that Dennis wanted to question the protocol that led to Alonso being ruled out of the race, as he believed that the Spaniard should have been given the opportunity to drive this weekend.
A team spokesman said: “Dialogue between McLaren and the FIA is ongoing and to be expected, and it remains our, the FIA's and indeed Fernando's intention to prioritize his health and well-being whilst optimizing his chances of returning to the cockpit as soon as possible.”
Sources suggest that not everyone in the McLaren camp was supportive of the route Dennis took, given that it could be seen the destabilize Stoffel Vandoorne, who is expected to be in the car all weekend.
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