Fernando Alonso has said he was “a bit surprised” to have been penalised 20 seconds and given three points on his licence at the end of the 2024 Australian Grand Prix.
Mercedes’ George Russell crashed on the final lap while chasing Alonso, of Aston Martin, before both drivers were called to the stewards.
Alonso, who dropped to eighth in a race won by Carlos Sainz, was found to have driven in a manner deemed “at least ‘potentially dangerous’, given the very high speed nature of that point of the track”.
Alonso originally admitted slowing too early and accelerating again before braking, adding that his manoeuvre had been performed “slightly wrong”.
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“At no point do we want to do anything wrong at these speeds,” Alonso said on social media on Sunday.
“I believe that without gravel on that corner, on any other corner in the world, we would never be even investigated.
“I was a bit surprised by a penalty at the end of the race regarding how we should approach the corners or how we should drive the race cars.”
Alonso penalty: Aston Martin driver punished
The 42-year-old added that sacrificing speed to exit corners more effectively had led to “epic duels” in past races and is “part of the art of motorsport.”
“We never drive at 100% in every race lap and on every corner,” he explained. “We save fuel, tires, brakes, so being responsible for not making every lap the same is a bit surprising.”
Double points for the team and a better race pace than the rest of the weekend allowed us to cross the finish line in 6th and 7th place. A bit surprised by a penalty at the end of the race regarding how we should approach the corners or how we should drive the race cars. At no… PIC.TWITTER.COM/WBDR7MPGFR
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) MARCH 24, 2024
Alonso finished sixth – a place above team-mate Lance Stroll – and said the team would have to “accept” the decision and “have more pace and fight for positions further up the field” at the Japanese Grand Prix on April 7.
Sainz returned from a one-race absence through appendicitis to end reigning champion Max Verstappen’s perfect start to the season in a Ferrari one-two with Charles Leclerc.
Red Bull’s Verstappen retired for the first time since the 2022 Australian Grand Prix because his brakes were on fire.
