Alonso doesn't understand penalty: 'Handed out because of Russell's crash'

With a crash a fortnight ago, the Australian Grand Prix ended for George Russell. The stewards decided after the race to name Fernando Alonso as culprit for the crash, as Russell was allegedly startled due to an - according to the stewards - unauthorised manoeuvre by the Spaniard. Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Alonso seems (still) unaware of any wrongdoing.

At Suzuka, the two-time world champion was asked questions about the incident, for which he was not given a hefty time penalty until well after the end of the race. Alonso is "100 per cent" convinced that it was only imposed because there had been a serious accident by Russell.

"If he was in Abu Dhabi with a run of area in asphalt or whatever, I think George will rejoin the track. A few metres after that and we'll try to have a go at [overtaking] me on the following lap or on the following straight," Alonso said in Japan.

In that case, the Aston Martin driver suspects, "there would have been no problems". In the end, Alonso accepted the penalty (his team and he did not appeal against it, ed.). Yet the Spaniard is also critical of the organisers of the Australian Grand Prix, as where the accident happened was 'certainly not the safest corner'.