Fernando Alonso ‘surprised’ by Australian GP stewards penalising him for driving before George Russell’s crash | F1 News

Fernando Alonso expressed “shock” on the choice of Australian GP stewards to penalise him for “probably harmful” driving in entrance of George Russell earlier than the Mercedes driver crashed in a dramatic conclusion to Sunday’s race.

The Aston Martin driver was handed a 20-second time penalty, dropping him from sixth to eighth within the ultimate classification, in a call issued by stewards greater than three hours after the tip of the race for the way in which during which he approached Flip Six on the lap that Russell, who was following shut behind, crashed out.

In a prolonged submit on X following the choice, Alonso wrote: “A bit stunned by a penalty on the finish of the race concerning how we must always method the corners or how we must always drive the race vehicles.

“At no level will we wish to do something flawed at these speeds.

“I imagine that with out gravel on that nook, on every other nook on the earth we’ll by no means be even investigated. In F1, with over 20 years of expertise, with epic duels like Imola 2005/2006 / Brazil 2023, altering racing strains, sacrificing entry velocity to have good exits from corners is a part of the artwork of motorsport.

“We by no means drive at 100 per cent each race lap and each nook, we save gasoline, tires [sic], brakes, so being accountable for not making each lap the identical is a bit shocking.”

Aston Martin had the correct to enchantment the choice however haven’t hitherto a minimum of given any indication that they plan to take action.

Alonso added: “We’ve to simply accept it and take into consideration Japan, to have extra tempo and struggle for positions additional up the sector. Thanks, group!”

Workforce boss Mike Krack mentioned: “It was shocking to see him drop to P8 with the post-race penalty, however now we have to simply accept the choice.”

What did Melbourne stewards rule?

Following a post-race investigation which included the examine of knowledge, replays and interviews with each drivers, stewards mentioned telemetry from Alonso’s automobile confirmed that the Aston Martin had “lifted barely greater than 100m sooner than he ever had going into” Flip Six on the penultimate lap of the race as Russell chased him down for sixth place.

Stewards mentioned that though they did “not have enough data to find out whether or not Alonso’s manoeuvre was meant to trigger Russell issues, or whether or not as he acknowledged to the stewards that he merely was making an attempt to get a greater exit” on that lap, the Spaniard did “select to do one thing, with no matter intent, that was extraordinary, ie lifting, braking, downshifting and all the opposite components of the manoeuvre over 100m sooner than beforehand”.

In a prolonged assertion issued greater than three hours after the tip of the race, stewards mentioned they determined that Alonso had in the end contravened the regulation which states: “At no time could a automobile be pushed unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a way which may very well be deemed probably harmful to different drivers or every other individual.”

Additionally they described it as being an “uncommon manoeuvre”.

Alonso was handed a 20-second time penalty for the incident in lieu of a drive-through given the race had already completed. He additionally had three penalty factors utilized to his previously-clean superlicence.

Alonso had completed sixth however the time penalty dropped behind team-mate Lance Stroll and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda to eighth within the revised classification.

The Spaniard had advised stewards he “meant to method flip six in a different way, lifting earlier, and with much less velocity into the nook, to get a greater exit”, whereas Russell described Alonso’s driving to them as “erratic”.

“Alonso defined that whereas his plan was to sluggish earlier, he obtained it barely flawed and needed to take additional steps to get again on top of things,” the stewards’ assertion added.

“Nonetheless, this manoeuvre created a substantial and weird closing velocity between the vehicles.”

What occurred within the incident? | Russell: ‘Pink flag, crimson flag!’

The incident got here on the drivers’ penultimate lap of the race amid a struggle over sixth place.

Russell had been quick catching Alonso within the previous laps on brisker tyres after a later second pit cease however, as they got here as much as the quick right-handed Flip Six on lap 57, the Mercedes was notably shut behind the Aston Martin however misplaced downforce and slid off monitor at excessive velocity.

The Mercedes went throughout the gravel and and hit the surface barrier laborious earlier than coming again on to the circuit and ending up on it is left-hand facet. Russell mentioned he was okay over group radio and was in a position to get out of the heavily-damaged W15.

Race Management initiated the Digital Security Automotive and the race’s ultimate lap completed with vehicles operating at managed velocity, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz taking the chequered flag in first place and Alonso occurring to cross the road in sixth.

In on-board footage and team radio released after the race of the crash and its aftermath, a concerned-sounding Russell may be heard calling for the race to be instantly stopped by way of a crimson flag along with his automobile in the course of the circuit.

Russell: “Pink flag, crimson flag, crimson flag! I am in the course of the monitor. Pink flag, crimson flag!

“Pink, crimson, crimson, crimson, crimson. I am within the center. Pink. **** why so lengthy?”

Engineer: “They’ve referred to as a VSC.”

Russell: “It is too lengthy.”

Toto Wolff: “George, are you okay?”

Russell: “Yeah, I am okay. I am in the course of the monitor half the wrong way up.”

Engineer: “It is a VSC so everybody ought to have slowed down.”

What did Russell and Alonso say in regards to the incident?

Talking to Sky Sports activities F1 on his return to the paddock and earlier than seeing the stewards, Russell mentioned though the very fact he in the end crashed was “on me” he had nonetheless been “caught me unexpectedly” by Alonso’s velocity into the nook. He mentioned it was “clear he braked 100m earlier than the nook” earlier than then resuming his regular velocity.

“My take is I’ve gone off and that is on me,” mentioned Russell, whose team-mate Lewis Hamilton had already retired from the race with a power-unit failure.

“I used to be half a second behind Fernando 100m earlier than the nook then all of a sudden he got here in the direction of me extraordinarily fast and I used to be proper on his gearbox. I do not know if he had an issue or not.

“He is off to the stewards and that is a bit weird in a circumstance like this. I’ve obtained nothing extra to say proper now. I must see all the things, simply disenchanted to finish the race like that.

“It is clear he braked 100m earlier than the nook and was again on the throttle once more and took the nook usually. We have already seen the information of that.”

Requested if he thought Alonso had brake-tested him, Russell replied: “I am not going to accuse him of something till we see additional. I used to be proper behind him for a lot of, many laps. I used to be half a second behind him earlier than the nook.

“Then, all of a sudden he slowed up dramatically and obtained again on the ability. I wasn’t anticipating it and he caught me unexpectedly. That half is on me. It is fascinating he is been referred to as by the stewards. I am intrigued as to what they should say.”

Alonso, who had gained positions up the order after pitting underneath a Digital Security Automotive initiated earlier within the race when Hamilton stopped on monitor, mentioned he had been managing an power deployment difficulty in his AMR24 within the closing laps.

“Clearly, I used to be focusing in entrance of me and never behind,” mentioned the Spaniard to Sky Sports activities F1.

“I had some points for the final 15 laps or one thing on the battery, on the deployment, so undoubtedly I used to be struggling slightly bit on the finish of the race however I can’t give attention to the automobile behind.

“However he is okay, apparently. I noticed the automobile and I used to be very apprehensive.”

In Aston Martin’s post-race press launch issued as soon as the penalty had been introduced, Alonso mentioned: “I wished to maximise my exit velocity from Flip Six to defend in opposition to him.

“That is what any racing driver would do, and I did not really feel it was harmful. It is disappointing to get a penalty from the stewards for what was laborious however honest racing. Nonetheless, I am glad that George is okay. It was not good to see his automobile in the course of the monitor.”

What did the stewards rule? The post-race verdict in full

“The stewards heard from the driving force of automobile 63 (George Russell), the driving force of automobile 14 (Fernando Alonso), group representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system knowledge, video, telemetry, group radio, in-car video proof and telemetry provided by each groups.

“Automotive 63 crashed on the exit to show six on lap 57. The stewards have extensively reviewed the scenario that occurred previous to the crash.

“Automotive 63 (George Russell) was following Automotive 14 (Fernando Alonso) roughly 0.5 seconds behind because the vehicles approached flip 6. Alonso defined to the stewards that he meant to method flip six in a different way, lifting earlier, and with much less velocity into the nook, to get a greater exit. Russell defined to the stewards that from his perspective, Alonso’s manoeuvre was erratic, took him unexpectedly and brought on him to shut distance unusually quick, and with the ensuing decrease downforce on the apex of the nook, he misplaced management and crashed on the exit of the nook. There was no contact between the vehicles.

“Telemetry exhibits that Alonso lifted barely greater than 100m sooner than he ever had going into that nook through the race. He additionally braked very barely at a degree that he didn’t often brake (though the quantity of brake was so slight that it was not the primary purpose for his automobile slowing) and he downshifted at a degree he by no means often downshifted. He then upshifted once more, and accelerated to the nook earlier than lifting once more to make the nook. Alonso defined that whereas his plan was to sluggish earlier, he obtained it barely flawed and needed to take additional steps to get again on top of things. Nonetheless, this manoeuvre created a substantial and weird closing velocity between the vehicles.

“In contemplating the matter the stewards targeted solely on the wording of the regulation which states “At no time could a automobile be pushed unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a way which may very well be deemed probably harmful to different drivers or every other individual.” (Artwork 33.4)

“Particularly, on this case, the stewards haven’t thought of the results of the crash. Additional, the stewards thought of that they don’t have enough data to find out whether or not Alonso’s manoeuvre was meant to trigger Russell issues, or whether or not as he acknowledged to the stewards that he merely was making an attempt to get a greater exit.

“Ought to Alonso have the correct to strive a unique method to the nook? – sure.

“Ought to Alonso be accountable for soiled air, that in the end brought on the incident? – no.

“Nevertheless, did he select to do one thing, with no matter intent, that was extraordinary, i.e. lifting, braking, downshifting and all the opposite components of the manoeuvre over 100m sooner than beforehand, and far better than was wanted to easily sluggish earlier for the nook? – sure by his personal account of the incident he did, and within the opinion of the stewards by doing this stuff, he drove in a way that was at very least “probably harmful” given the very excessive velocity nature of that time of the monitor.

“This season, the FIA System 1 penalty pointers, together with for this breach have been reset and elevated to a baseline of a 10s penalty. As well as, when there’s some aggravating circumstance, we think about a Drive By way of Penalty. On this case we think about that Alonso affirmatively selecting to carry out an uncommon manoeuvre at this level to be an aggravating circumstance, versus a easy mistake. The stewards due to this fact order a drive via penalty, which can be transformed to twenty seconds added to Automotive 14’s elapsed time, together with three penalty factors.”

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