Fernando Alonso of the Aston Martin F1 Team faced criticism from his fellow Formula 1 competitors following the decision to penalize him at the Australian Grand Prix. The drivers had mixed opinions on the matter. Alonso was attempting to hold off George Russell in the closing stages of the race when he seemingly slowed down into Turn 6, causing Russell to crash on the final lap. After a post-race investigation by the FIA stewards, it was revealed that Alonso had received a 20-second time penalty, resulting in him finishing in eighth place. The stewards reviewed video footage and telemetry data that showed Alonso had slowed down significantly earlier than usual. Alonso defended his actions, stating that he was trying to maximize his exit speed to defend against the Mercedes. However, Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg disagreed, believing that Alonso should be punished for choosing the wrong corner to execute such a maneuver. Hulkenberg expressed concern over the potential danger of the move, particularly on a narrow street circuit like Melbourne. He argued that if there had been a miscommunication or delay in the flag system, a serious accident could have occurred. Hulkenberg also questioned Alonso’s claims of throttle issues, suggesting that they may have been an attempt to avoid further penalties. Overall, Hulkenberg was unimpressed with Alonso’s tactics and expressed his disapproval.
Sergio Perez agreed with his former Force India teammate, despite acknowledging that his experience racing with Alonso has remained within acceptable boundaries.
“We all understand what is acceptable, what falls within the limits,” he said. “I mean, knowing drivers like Fernando, he always pulls off these kinds of maneuvers.
“Always within the limits. Fernando is a very aggressive driver, but always within the boundaries. I’ve had intense battles with him. He’s one of the drivers I have the most confidence in.
“I have to admit that he pushed the limits a bit too far, or perhaps even crossed them. But as I mentioned, we might witness a similar incident in two or three weeks, and nothing will come of it.”
Charles Leclerc echoed these sentiments, stating that Alonso went too far on this particular occasion.
“As drivers, we engage in similar actions, but not to the extent that Fernando did,” said Leclerc. “What he did in Australia was excessive and deserved to be penalized.”
However, not everyone in the pitlane shared their views. Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas expressed surprise at Alonso’s post-race discipline.
“It was clear what he was trying to do, he attempted to disrupt George’s momentum on the backstretch,” Bottas explained.
“And I believe that if George hadn’t ended up in the wall or gone off track, there wouldn’t have been a penalty, as it would not have appeared as dramatic.
“I still believe that we should always have the freedom to choose our speed and line. But it’s a delicate balance, whether it’s permissible or not, so I was quite taken aback by it.”
The Finn, who previously occupied the Mercedes seat that Russell now holds in 2022, believes that Alonso’s punishment was too severe for the offense he committed on the track.
“Each situation is unique, but in Fernando’s case, I don’t think the penalty should have been that severe,” he stated. “Perhaps a warning or a black and white flag would have sufficed.
“But this type of penalty seems excessive because it could instill fear in people and discourage them from pushing the boundaries in the future.”