Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso reacts to his retrospective punishment for the incident with George Russell and does not see any wrongdoing on his part
Fernando Alonso does not agree with his penalty at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The fact that he was penalized for the incident with George Russell shortly before the end of the race came as “a bit of a surprise to him, considering how you are supposed to enter a corner and how you are supposed to drive the cars”, Formula 1 driver Alonso wrote on social media.
Alonso explains: “At these speeds, you never want to do anything wrong. And I believe that if there wasn’t a gravel trap in this corner, there wouldn’t have been a single investigation at any other corner in the world.”
Especially as he is not a beginner, but a man with “over 20 years of Formula 1 experience”, emphasizes Alonso. He refers to “epic duels” in his long career and explicitly mentions the two Imola races in 2005 and 2006, in which he fought thrilling duels with Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari as a Renault driver. His Brazil finish in 2023 against Sergio Perez also falls into this special category.
What Alonso is saying is that he already knows what he is doing on the racetrack. Or, as he puts it himself: “Changing lines and slowing down at the entrance to corners in favor of better acceleration are simply part of the art of racing.”
However, the stewards classified Alonso’s specific behavior in the duel with Russell as “potentially dangerous” because Alonso drove through the section of the track in a completely different way than in the previous laps. However, Alonso does not want to accept this as an argument.
He says: “We never drive at one hundred percent in the race and in every corner we protect the tires, the brakes and save fuel. So it’s a bit surprising that I’m being blamed for not driving the same way on every lap. “
Alonso accepts the penalty after all
In the end, however, “we have to accept it,” says the Aston Martin driver. “And now we have to think about Japan and that we need more pace there to be able to fight for positions further up the field.”
In Australia, Alonso crossed the finish line in sixth place, but was relegated to eighth place due to the 20-second time penalty that was subsequently imposed. The two-time world champion is currently in eighth place in the 2024 Formula 1 drivers’ standings after scoring three points in three races so far, directly ahead of Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll.
