Fernando Alonso drops to 8th after being given a 20s time penalty for "potentially dangerous" driving.

The Stewards heard from both Alonso and Russell as well as their team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, telemetry, team radio, in-car video evidence and telemetry supplied by both teams.

Russell crashed at the exit to Turn 6 on lap 57 while following the Aston Martin approximately 0.5 seconds behind as the cars approached Turn 6.

Alonso explained to the stewards that he intended to approach Turn 6 differently, lifting earlier, and with less speed into the corner, to get a better exit. Russell explained to the stewards that from his perspective, Alonso's manoeuvre was erratic, took him by surprise and caused him to close distance unusually fast, and with the resulting lower downforce at the apex of the corner, he lost control and crashed at the exit of the corner. There was no contact between the cars.

Telemetry shows that Alonso lifted slightly more than 100m earlier than he ever had going into that corner during the race. He also braked very slightly at a point that he did not usually brake (although the amount of brake was so slight that it was not the main reason for his car slowing) and he downshifted at a point he never usually downshifted. He then upshifted again, and accelerated to the corner before lifting again to make the corner.

Alonso explained that while his plan was to slow earlier, he got it slightly wrong and had to take extra steps to get back up to speed. Nonetheless, this manoeuvre created a considerable and unusual closing speed between the cars.

In considering the matter the stewards focused solely on the wording of the regulation which states "At no time may a car be driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner which could be deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers or any other person."

Specifically, in this case, the stewards have not considered the consequences of the crash. Further, the stewards considered that they do not have sufficient information to determine whether Alonso's manoeuvre was intended to cause Russell problems, or whether as he stated to the stewards that he simply was trying to get a better exit.

Should Alonso have the right to try a different approach to the corner? - yes. Should Alonso be responsible for dirty air, that ultimately caused the incident? - no.

However, did he choose to do something, with whatever intent, that was extraordinary, ie lifting, braking, downshifting and all the other elements of the manoeuvre over 100m earlier than previously, and much greater than was needed to simply slow earlier for the corner? - yes by his own account of the incident he did, and in the opinion of the stewards by doing these things, he drove in a manner that was at very least "potentially dangerous" given the very high speed nature of that point of the track.

This season, the FIA Formula 1 penalty guidelines, including for this breach have been reset and increased to a baseline of a 10s penalty. In addition, when there is some aggravating circumstance, the stewards consider a Drive Through Penalty.

In this case they considered that Alonso affirmatively choosing to perform an unusual manoeuvre at this point to be an aggravating circumstance, as opposed to a simple mistake. They therefore order a drive through penalty, which was converted to 20 seconds added to his elapsed time, along with three penalty points.

The move sees the Spaniard drop from 6th to 8th.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 29/03/2024 0:57

"@ffracer...I agree with your post. Russel was played and he paid the price. Alonso can be unreadable at times and when is going defensive he sails close to the edge. Expect the unexpected. It's called racing smarts and Alonso has it in spades.

As postscript, Russel will have cost MB shedloads of $ rebuilding his broken cars yet we hear not a peep out of Wolff? "

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2. Posted by ffracer, 25/03/2024 9:20

"This was utter BS. Alonso is the toughest sob and a brilliant racer. Alonso didn't brake test Russell, Russell choked and outbraked himself. Again. Like he did many times in the Williams - Imola with Bottas was absolutely ridiculous and he blamed Bottas for it! Most recently, he choked defending against his own teammate and hit the wall under braking, crashing out of a podium position. If Russell's not on the radio tattling on someone's track limits, he comes up with utter bs when he chokes.

As for the FIA, another ridiculous call. Alonso didn't brake test Russell, the FIA admitted that he barely touched the brake pedal! Alonso got penalized for potentially dangerous driving. Was he did, slowing everyone down before the Apex and maximizing the exit because of an upcoming straight is called racing. The only one potentially dangerous is Russell. I wouldn't want to race Russell. A history of absolute carnage.

"

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3. Posted by Mad Matt, 25/03/2024 8:49

"@Pavlo: I think it goes without saying that I've never driven an F1 car and to be clear my track experience has also never involved close racing so what I'm saying comes from listening to those who have and a bit of sim racing.

In order to race and be close with other cars they have to behave in a predictable way otherwise there will be accidents. The faster the formula the more this is true but in my limited experience it applies even in karting, you can't have someone jumping on the brakes a 100m early as you can't react in time, it's not like on the road where you keep a safe distance. Moving under braking is also dangerous as once you're braking when racing you're usually braking as hard as you can and you can't change anything, again on the road you've got some in reserve and can brake harder or adjust trajectory.

That's why an F1 racer can follow another car a few meters in front at 200mph.

They can choose different lines and they can change things but going too far leads to accidents.

My feeling is that in the case of Fernando the stewards decided that he'd gone too far, so far there could be no doubt his actions had caused the crash. I tend to agree but it'll be interesting to see what Fernando and George have to say once things have calmed down.

"

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4. Posted by Pavlo, 25/03/2024 7:09

"@Mad Matt - I did read these in the article and agree that these probably deserve a penalty. But I disagree with the way how stewards formulated it. “Potentially dangerous” is a ridiculous reason for penalty.
If they would declare that Alonso did something in on purpose of provoking a crash, I’d agree. But if they explicitly wrote that he didn’t, and they are penalising him purely for doing things differently. Do we really say now that drivers have prescribed trajectory and speed, and failing to follow it deserves 20s penalty?"

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5. Posted by Chester, 24/03/2024 21:34

"@Bowman. It was a joke. I should not have combined it with a second statement. "

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6. Posted by Bowman, 24/03/2024 19:23

"About Toto: "This is not right, Fernando. I'll leave it in the stewards hands since I was not there and have zero data."

Well of course, Toto, just leave it to the stewards! If, as you say, you were NOT there and you have ZERO data, I wonder why on earth do you feel the urge to give the world your much ludicrous opinion about what's right and what's not?
This is not right, Toto."

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7. Posted by intrepid, 24/03/2024 17:13

"IMHO Fernando should appeal the punishment. To me the crucial factor here is intent; Fernando had no intent whatever to create a dangerous situation for George Russell nor to influence his drive at all. F1 authority wielding its power. "

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8. Posted by @R1Racing71, 24/03/2024 15:57

"On Sky Comms Martin called this almost immediately. These old Skool racers can spot every dirty trick in the book - if you spend your racing career against the likes of Senna, Schumacher, Rosberg and Nige then it’s going to be an easy call. Alonso should know better that you can’t get away with these types of antics in this brave new world. Mores the pity."

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9. Posted by Chester, 24/03/2024 14:51

"Toto: "This is not right, Fernando". I'll leave it in the stewards hands since I was not there and have zero data."

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10. Posted by Mad Matt, 24/03/2024 14:10

"In my opinion there was no malicious intent so I don't see this as a simple brake test... but it was at least a dangerous miscalculation and I don't think George could have done much more than he did, the points according to the stewards were:
Telemetry shows that
- Alonso lifted slightly more than 100m earlier than he ever had going into that corner during the race.
- He braked very slightly at a point that he did not usually brake
- He downshifted at a point he never usually downshifted.
- He then upshifted again, and accelerated to the corner before lifting again to make the corner.

It's fair to say that motor-sport is dangerous and that there's a fine line to tread between audacious defence and dangerous driving but I think the stewards are right on this occasion... in my opinion :-)"

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11. Posted by kenji, 24/03/2024 13:32

"Alonso is a fox and he will do whatever he can to win but that was no brake test IMO. If you want to see a brake test just look at Hamilton on Vettell in Baku 2017 !! That's a brake test. My guess is that Russell had a momentary lack of concentration and got caught out. "

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12. Posted by Pavlo, 24/03/2024 12:31

"Reason „dangerous driving“ is ridiculous. Look at the back of F1 ticket, it says „motorsport is dangerous“. They all are paid to do dangerous driving, aren’t they?
Did stewards prove that he brake-tested Russel? No. If they would, it would be right penalty, but they didn’t. So I don’t get it."

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13. Posted by Burton, 24/03/2024 12:29

"Alonso has previous, and I agree with the penalty in isolation. But man, having to put up with FOUR gimmick zones?! It's very easy to get discouraged and resort to desperate driving."

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14. Posted by Wokingchap, 24/03/2024 12:21

"This is not the first time the Spaniard has brake tested"

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Alonso penalised for "potentially dangerous" driving

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