Fernando Alonso admits to IGNORING Aston Martin team orders in Japanese Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso on the podium in Zandvoort — Photo: © LAT Images

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Alonso admits to IGNORING team orders in Japanese GP

The Spaniard chose not to comply with his Aston Martin engineer's instructions in his fight with the Alpines

Joe Ellis

Sunday 24 September 2023 15:57

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Fernando Alonso admitted that he ignored a team order on his way to eighth at the Japanese GP.

The Spaniard's Aston Martin team-mate, Lance Stroll, had already retired due to a rear wing failure and the team were concerned the same could happen again.

As a result, Alonso's engineer asked him to stay off the curbs for the final portion of the race to try and preserve the rear wing, but Alonso ignored it.

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He kept pushing on and the rear wing remained intact as he held off the two Alpines with ease to score four points.

Alonso: We have to improve

Alonso told DAZN after the race: "Our DRS is still not completely effective, we open it and the car in front continues to go away. We have to improve in that department."

Fernando Alonso was fairly anonymous in the Japanese GP despite gaining four places on the opening lap

He added: "The race pace was a positive surprise, we could have been ahead of one of the Mercedes if everything had gone well.

"We suffer a lot when we are not in clean air, so we had to go in when we met Ocon.

"I didn't listen to the team when they told me not to go up the curbs. I have enough with what's in the car to go through the middle of the track. I went all in."