F1 News: Fernando Alonso under INVESTIGATION following huge George Russell crash

Fernando Alonso en conferencia de prensa en Bahréin — Photo: © IMAGO

Australian Grand Prix

Alonso under INVESTIGATION following huge Russell crash

The two-time world champion may yet lose points

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 24 March 2024 06:54 Updated: 09:43

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso is under investigation for an incident which caused an unusual finish to the Australian Grand Prix.

George Russell's late crash - which saw his Mercedes car end up on its side - meant that the race finished under virtual safety car conditions, with Russell's car spread across the circuit.

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The Brit was attempting to challenge Alonso for sixth at the time, and the Spaniard is now being investigated, with Martin Brundle suggesting Mercedes will be claiming that Alonso 'brake tested' Russell.

The incident happened on the penultimate lap of the race, and Russell got onto the gravel while scrambling around behind Alonso, before slamming into the wall to end his and Mercedes' chance of points.

George Russell crashed on the penultimate lap

Fernando Alonso finished sixth in Australia

Miserable Mercedes weekend gets worse

Russell was the last Mercedes driver left in the race, after Lewis Hamilton's engine appeared to shut down on lap 17, while he was running outside of the points.

It means that the Australian GP was a point-less weekend for Mercedes, who had struggled for pace all weekend long.

Aston Martin have now climbed above the Brackley-based team into fourth in the constructors' standings, but that may yet be subject to change pending the result of Alonso's investigation.

The Spaniard will argue that he didn't affect Russell's race, but the Brit did seem to catch Alonso a huge amount while heading into turn six, which was why Brundle believed Mercedes have a case that the Aston Martin driver 'brake tested' Russell.

Asked by Sky Sports F1 about reported suggestions from the Mercedes camp that he had brake tested Russell, Alonso replied: "Obviously I was focusing in front of me and not behind.

"I had some issues for the last 15 laps or something on the battery, on the deployment, so definitely I was struggling a little bit at the end of the race but I cannot focus on the car behind.

"But he's ok, apparently. I saw the car and I was very worried."

Mercedes Aston Martin George Russell Fernando Alonso Australian Grand Prix Martin Brundle