Fernando Alonso, Spanish driver for Aston Martin, was penalized by race stewards at the 2024 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix. The stewards determined that Alonso’s driving before Turn 6 played a role in George Russell’s accident on the last lap. As a result, Alonso received a 20-second time penalty.
Onboard footage showed Alonso’s Aston Martin slowing down as he approached Turn 6, while Russell’s Mercedes was rapidly closing in from behind. Russell ended up losing control and crashing into the barriers. Fortunately, Russell was unharmed, but his race was disrupted and he lost valuable points.
After the race, both drivers were summoned to meet with the stewards for a lengthy discussion. The stewards considered input from both drivers, as well as team representatives. They also analyzed various data and evidence, including positioning/signaling system data, video footage, team radio communications, onboard footage, and telemetry provided by both teams.
According to a statement from the FIA, Alonso explained to the stewards that he intended to approach Turn 6 differently, slowing down earlier and entering the corner with less speed to achieve a better exit. On the other hand, Russell claimed that Alonso’s maneuver was erratic and caught him off guard, causing him to approach in an unusual manner. This, combined with reduced aerodynamic pressure at the apex of the corner, led Russell to lose control and crash.
Telemetry data revealed that Alonso slightly reduced speed earlier than usual on the last lap, as well as applying additional braking in a part of the corner where he normally wouldn’t. He then shifted up and accelerated before reducing speed again to navigate the corner. Alonso admitted that, although his plan was to slow down earlier, he made a small miscalculation and had to take extra measures to regain speed.
When considering whether a penalty was justified, the stewards referred to Article 33.4 of the regulations, which prohibits driving unnecessarily slow, erratic, or potentially dangerous to other drivers or individuals. The stewards acknowledged Alonso’s right to change his approach to a corner for a better exit and did not attribute any blame to him for the “dirty air” that contributed to Russell’s accident. However, they also concluded that Alonso’s driving, as he himself admitted, was potentially dangerous.
As a result, the stewards imposed a 20-second time penalty on Alonso, affecting his final race time. This penalty resulted in Alonso being demoted to eighth place in the final standings. As a result, his teammate Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda from RB each moved up a position.
