F1 News: Fernando Alonso takes swipe at FIA after being hit with controversial penalty

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F1 star takes swipe at FIA after being hit with controversial penalty

Fernando Alonso was hit with a controversial penalty at the Australian Grand Prix

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Thursday 4 April 2024 11:55

Fernando Alonso has indirectly hit out at the FIA once again following the controversial penalty handed to him at the Australian Grand Prix.

The Spaniard was involved in a dramatic late scrap with George Russell at Albert Park last time out, which resulted in the Mercedes driver losing control of his car on the last lap and crashing heavily at turn six.

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Despite there being no contact between the drivers, Alonso was investigated after the race and after found to have changed his usual driving approach to the corner moments before Russell crashed, causing the British racer to take evasive action leading to his crash with the barrier before bouncing sideways back onto the track to bring out a virtual safety car.

Alonso was given a drive-through penalty for the incident, converted to a 20-second penalty that saw him drop down from sixth to eighth after the race.

Fernando Alonso was hit by a controversial FIA penalty

George Russell crashed heavily after swerving to avoid Alonso

Alonso insists 'surprise' FIA penalty a one-off

Having stated he was 'surprised' by the Melbourne penalty, Alonso has now suggested that it will not act as a deterrent to the way he drives - sticking to his original defence that a race driver does not have to approach every corner in the same fashion.

Asked by Motorsport in relation to the incident if he was clear about defensive driving rules, Alonso responded: “It was clear. And I think it's still clear.

“It was a little bit surprising, the penalty in Melbourne.

“There is nothing we can do, we have to accept it and move on and concentrate on here. But I think it will not change much on how we drive and how we approach racing.

“There is no obligation to drive 57 laps in the same way. Sometimes we get a slower pace, to save fuel, to save tyres, to save battery.

“And sometimes we go slow into corners, or into some sectors of the track, to give the DRS to the car behind because that will be a useful tool if the second car behind is at a faster pace.

“All those things are completely normal. And it was, it is and it will be forever in motorsports. So we had one penalty, probably a one-off, that we will never apply ever again.”

Mercedes FIA George Russell Fernando Alonso Australian Grand Prix