Key questions around Australian GP incident with George Russell answered by Karun Chandhok
Use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Fernando Alonso received a 20-second penalty at the Australian Grand Prix for 'potentially dangerous' driving in front of George Russell... ...dropping him from sixth to eighth in the final classification. Telemetry showed that Alonso had 'lifted slightly more than 100m earlier than he ever had' going into a turn, as Russell chased him down. The stewards found Alonso guilty of driving unnecessarily slowly and causing potential danger to other drivers. He received a 20-second penalty and three penalty points for the incident. Alonso expresses surprise and blames circuit layout after stewards' decision on F1 incident. Chandhok analyzes incident on Sky Sports F1 post-race coverage. Some drivers are being judged for their tactical driving in Formula 1, with the key factor being predictability. The example of Alonso's tactical driving in Imola 2005 is cited as a brilliant and predictable move, unlike the controversial move in Melbourne. Magnussen's tactical driving style made it difficult for other cars to overtake him, creating unpredictability for the drivers behind. Fernando's change in driving behavior added to the unpredictability, with significant early braking and acceleration causing challenges for George. George experienced a sudden loss of grip while driving behind another car, similar to driving on black ice. The sensitivity of F1 car front wings played a crucial role in his unexpected close encounter. How challenging was it for Russell? George could cut himself some slack because he would not have expected Fernando to have backed off so much earlier. David Coulthard remembered that Alonso did a similar move to him at the Nurburgring in 2003 and he ended up off the track as well! The stewards' decision is a subject of debate. On one hand, there is a case for a harsher penalty if the action was intentional. On the other hand, some argue that since there was no contact, no penalty was warranted. Did the stewards make the right decision? Fernando Alonso's ruthless and win-at-all-costs approach won't impact his future in F1, according to a team principal. The incident in Melbourne is unlikely to sway a team's decision to sign or not sign a driver. How will the drivers deal with it in Japan? Drivers at the Japanese Grand Prix will have to navigate potentially awkward conversations at the Driver's briefings, where discussions happen between drivers through the race director. The scenario has occurred before in F1, with incidents and awkward conversations being a regular part of the season. Receive breaking sports news, analysis, features, and videos on WhatsApp! Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp!