It was a little bit of a weird finish to the Australian Grand Prix when it got here to the incident involving George Russell and Fernando Alonso. However whereas I’m going to face up for Alonso to a point, I’m additionally not towards the truth that the stewards issued a penalty for what occurred.
The primary viewing hadn’t brought about me to lift any eyebrows, and my focus was as a substitute on Russell shedding management and his automobile ending up on its facet in the course of the monitor.
The summons for each drivers to see the stewards was issued shortly after the checkered flag, and as that meant an investigation was being launched it genuinely took me a second to work out if it was for that incident, or one thing that may have occurred away from the tv cameras on an earlier lap.
Positive, Russell appeared to get near the again of Alonso’s automobile, however from the serene perspective of a stabilized on-board digicam on the Mercedes roll hoop it didn’t seem overly erratic.
Since I used to be operating across the paddock and unable to test which lap corresponded to the time of the incident talked about within the stewards’ summons, I even requested an Aston Martin press officer if there was one thing I used to be lacking. You received’t be shocked to listen to they mentioned no, and had been equally perplexed at that stage.
However what these on-board cameras present and the way it really feels to a driver behind the wheel — from a a lot decrease vantage level and much much less stability of their imaginative and prescient — are two very various things.
It was telling that the listening to involving the 2 drivers lasted for nearly a full hour. Had it been a 10-minute go to, it might have advised a fast and easy decision by some means, and the preliminary expectation of no additional motion being taken. I really thought that they had each lengthy since returned to their respective groups by the point they really emerged; Russell strolling alongside Mercedes sporting director Ron Meadows, and Alonso following just a few paces behind subsequent to Aston Martin’s Andy Stevenson.
There have been stern expressions on their faces, and no phrases being spoken. On the very least, it advised there had been some severe discussions happening.
And that’s when telemetry began surfacing, and former lap to later lap comparisons, as followers did their very own standard wonderful investigatory work whereas ready for the FIA to make its personal choice.
By the point a penalty was handed out to Alonso as a result of the stewards felt “he drove in a fashion that was at very least ‘doubtlessly harmful’ given the very high-speed nature of that time of the monitor,” it had felt like one was coming. And the response appears to overstate the importance.
“A bit shocked by a penalty on the finish of the race relating to how we should always strategy the corners or how we should always drive the race vehicles,” Alonso wrote quickly afterwards. “In F1, with over 20 years of expertise, with epic duels like Imola 2005/2006 or Brazil 2023, altering racing traces, sacrificing entry velocity to have good exits from corners is a part of the artwork of motorsport.”
Add to that Aston Martin crew principal Mike Krack’s feedback and also you’d assume Alonso had simply been banned from driving (as some followers calling for a very draconian penalty had advised).
“I need you to know that we totally assist Fernando,” Krack mentioned in a message to the crew’s followers. “He’s essentially the most skilled driver in Components 1. He has competed in additional grands prix than anybody else and has greater than 20 years of expertise. He’s a a number of world champion in a number of classes.
“To obtain a 20-second time penalty when there was no contact with the next automobile has been a bitter capsule to swallow, however we now have to just accept the choice. We made our greatest case however with out new proof we’re unable to request a proper of assessment.
“Fernando is an exceptional racer and he was utilizing each device in his toolbox to complete forward of George — identical to we noticed in Brazil final yr with Sergio [Perez]. That is the artwork of motorsport on the highest stage. He would by no means put anybody in hurt’s manner.”
Whereas accepting the judgment of the stewards, Mike Krack (second from proper) stayed totally in his driver’s nook. Zak Mauger/Motorsport Photos
I’ve received points with virtually all the feedback from Alonso and Krack, but in addition agree that you might argue that the penalty was on the tough facet.
Simply because Alonso is so skilled, doesn’t imply he can’t make errors or misjudgments. The outcomes he has secured in several classes are spectacular, however there are additionally completely different driving types and requirements which might be allowed by the regulators in every that want abiding by and adapting to. Each driver has received one thing fallacious sooner or later.
And in the case of the penalty itself, it’s not eradicating the artwork of defensive driving. Similar to overtaking, it’s trying to make a name on when that artwork could be taken simply barely too far.
Within the stewards’ choice, it defined how Alonso had lifted a lot sooner than standard and downshifted, then accelerated once more and upshifted, including: “Alonso defined that whereas his plan was to gradual earlier, he received it barely fallacious and needed to take further steps to get again on top of things.”
Proper there may be the crux of the difficulty: “Alonso received it barely fallacious.” It doesn’t should have been his intent to trigger an incident in any respect, and I’ll again him that it definitely wasn’t. The intent could have been to disrupt Russell behind to create a much bigger hole on the exit of Flip 6 to guard himself from assault utilizing DRS. And in attempting to take action, Alonso barely overdid it.
Alonso’s obvious declare that there was a difficulty with the engine on the next lap didn’t make it so far as the stewards’ room, in one other suggestion that he maybe knew he might need simply crossed the road, significantly given the place Russell ended up.
The result was dramatic, however the crime was removed from egregious. Carry barely later and never want the acceleration once more, and Alonso probably brings Russell simply as near him on the apex however in a much less erratic manner. Even when the end result had been the identical, it’s extra comprehensible that Russell may have been anticipated to be ready for Alonso to do one thing completely different in that nook, and wanted to take care as the next automobile.
The stewards’ choice makes clear that the Spaniard was entitled to attempt to drive in a defensive method and get inventive:
“Ought to Alonso have the appropriate to attempt a distinct strategy to the nook? Sure.
“Ought to Alonso be accountable for soiled air, that finally brought about the incident? No.”
Nevertheless it says in doing so he took it barely too far and created a “doubtlessly harmful” state of affairs. It’s the identical as when attacking, you possibly can attempt a distinct strategy to get previous a automobile however you don’t have to make contact to obtain a penalty for the best way you positioned your self and impacted a rival.
Krack was eager to focus on that Alonso is essentially the most skilled driver on the grid, however as such he’s extra more likely to have extra alternatives to be concerned in incidents. He’s raced extra laps and been concerned in additional battles, and the legislation of averages is that for all of the good racing that’s simply the appropriate facet of the road — like Brazil final yr — there would be the odd event that the mark is marginally overstepped.
That doesn’t make Alonso a grimy driver, and doesn’t essentially make the penalty truthful. Alonso had each proper to attempt one thing intelligent to carry Russell off, and the stewards had each proper to work out if he took it that bit too far on this event.
They’re extraordinarily fantastic margins, and Alonso doesn’t want vilifying for getting it fallacious, but in addition must acknowledge that his immense expertise and ability doesn’t preclude him from misjudgments.
