Fernando Alonso expressed his disagreement with the penalty he received during the Australian Grand Prix, describing it as a “one-off” decision by the stewards.
Following the race, the Aston Martin driver was handed a post race drive through penalty for decelerating abruptly in front of George Russell on the penultimate lap, resulting in a crash for the Mercedes driver at turn six. Despite the stewards deeming Alonso’s driving as “potentially dangerous.” The Spanish driver stated that he is “totally against” the outcome of the decision.
While acknowledging the stewards’ authority to make decisions, Alonso expressed surprise and disagreement with the penalty, stating, “I’m surprised and totally disagree, for sure.”
Although the stewards acknowledged Alonso’s right to explore different approaches to corners. Alonso believes the ruling was a one time occurrence unlikely to be repeated in the future. He accepted the penalty, noting that he has experienced similar decisions throughout his career.
George Russell, on the other hand, criticise Alonso’s actions, suggesting that his abrupt deceleration posed a danger on the track. Russell emphasized the challenges F1 drivers face in managing various tasks while racing and highlight the potential risks associated with such maneuvers. Particularly when drivers are busy attending to multiple responsibilities in the cockpit.
While acknowledging that Alonso’s actions may not have been “extraordinarily dangerous.” Russell express concerns about the precedent it sets and its potential impact. Especially in situations involving multiple cars on the track.
Ultimately, both Alonso and Russell express differing views on the incident. Reflecting the complexities of on track maneuvers and the importance of maintaining safety standards in Formula 1 racing.
