Fernando Alonso, from the Aston Martin F1 Team AMR24, is not fazed by the 20-second penalty he received during the Australian Grand Prix. The Formula 1 veteran asserts that this penalty will not change the approach of the drivers in races.
Alonso’s penalty was the result of his defensive tactics at turn 6 of the Albert Park circuit, which led to the crash of George Russell on the final lap. Data analysis revealed that Alonso braked earlier than usual when entering turn 6, accelerated, and then slowed down to successfully navigate the corner.
Russell, caught off guard by Alonso’s defensive move, lost control of his Mercedes and exited the race. However, opinions on the penalty application are divided. While the Mercedes driver believes that not penalizing Alonso would have created complications for the rest of the season and lower categories, Alonso himself acknowledges that the penalty was a surprise.
The Spaniard further states: “We must accept it and focus on [Japan].” He believes that the penalty will not significantly alter his driving style or approach in races. Alonso emphasizes that there is no obligation to maintain the same pace throughout the 57 laps. Variations in speed are common to save fuel, tires, or battery energy. Additionally, adjusting speed in certain corners or sectors of the track to provide the car behind with DRS (Drag Reduction System) can be a strategic advantage if that car is faster.
Alonso concludes by stating that these tactics are completely normal in motorsport and have been, are, and will continue to be part of the sport. He considers the penalty an isolated incident that will not repeat in the future.
Alonso argued that the main issue regarding the incident is not his driving tactics, but rather the nature of turn 6 at Albert Park. This specific part of the track is characterized by high speeds and a close wall on the exit.
“The main concern is turn 6 in Australia,” he expressed.
“At the moment, it’s not the safest turn on that track.
“Last year, we witnessed an accident involving Alex [Albon] during the race and this year in free practice, where he damaged the chassis.
“Even in F2, Dennis [Hauger] also crashed there and, of course, George in the race.
“To me, that is a more significant aspect to address for next year, instead of focusing on what the driver in front of me can or cannot do.”
The nature of the turn undoubtedly increased the likelihood of an accident in Russell’s case, as he himself admitted to being “caught off guard” by Alonso.
With a sudden loss of grip, the Mercedes driver quickly collided with the wall.
When questioned, Alonso confidently stated that if Russell had been on a circuit like Abu Dhabi, with wide run-off areas, he would have rejoined the track a few meters later and tried to overtake him on the next lap or straight.
“There would have been no problem,” he emphasized.
© 2024
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