The stewards of the Australian Grand Prix believed that Fernando Alonso caused George Russell to fly off the track by slowing down more than normal before turn six. The Aston Martin driver was fined and made it clear in Suzuka that he did not agree with this decision.
“The fine in Melbourne came as a surprise,” Fernando Alonso said during a media call on Thursday. “We had no way to influence the stewards’ decision, so we had no choice but to accept it and concentrate on the next stage. The penalty will not affect my racing style or how I ride.
We are not required to complete all 57 laps in the same manner. Sometimes we drive slower, saving fuel, tires and battery power. Sometimes we drive corners or parts of the circuit slower to get the car behind DRS. And these are very normal things – this has always been the case and will continue to be the case in motorsport. But I got a fine. This is likely an isolated incident and will not be used again.”
Asked whether he believed he would have avoided the fine if George Russell had been able to continue racing after being eliminated, Fernando replied: “100%. If this had happened in Abu Dhabi or another circuit with paved safety zones, George would have returned to the track after a few meters and tried to overtake me on the next lap or straight. And that wouldn’t be a problem.”
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
