Public defense by Fernando Alonso regarding his driving during the Australian Grand Prix was a typical example of self-promotion. However, it only touched on the true nature of the incident that resulted in George Russell’s crash and the penalty received by Alonso. Alonso’s claim that he was trying to optimize his exit from Turn 6 is the only part of his reasoning that holds up under scrutiny. He was engaged in a fierce battle with a faster car, dealing with battery issues in his own car, and knew that Russell’s best opportunity to overtake would be with the DRS open in the high-speed section from Turn 6 to Turn 9. By intentionally slowing down at Turn 6, Alonso hoped to disrupt Russell’s momentum and avoid a simple overtake.
From Russell’s perspective, Alonso’s driving could be seen as a brake test, even though Russell himself did not go that far in his comments to the media. Russell was closely following the Aston Martin and described Alonso’s maneuver as “erratic” in front of the stewards. He explained that it caught him off guard and closed the gap between the two cars in an unusual way, leading to a loss of downforce and ultimately causing the crash.
Aston Martin postponed their post-race media session after the hearing, so their official position on the incident is not known. Alonso expressed disappointment with the penalty received, stating that his actions were simply the result of a tough but fair race, and that any driver would have done the same. He also took to social media to further defend his driving, stating that the stewards had no right to question him and comparing the incident to his past “epic” defensive drives.
The big problem with Alonso’s defense is that he admitted to making a mistake, something unusual for him. The commissioners’ judgment revealed that Alonso lifted off the accelerator much earlier than usual approaching Turn 6 and made other unusual braking and gear change decisions. Alonso explained to the commissioners that he had planned to slow down more than usual for the turn in order to maximize his exit, but made a small error and had to take extra measures to regain speed. However, deliberately slowing down and speeding up again approaching a high-speed turn is not something expected on the final lap of a grand prix race.
Although racing etiquette allows delaying a rival by going slower through a critical turn, Alonso’s actions were a big mistake. The commissioners acknowledged that Alonso had the right to change his approach to the turn, but also stated that what he did was “extraordinary” and beyond necessary. They concluded that his actions were potentially dangerous, given the high-speed nature of that part of the track, and that he deserved the penalty he received.
