MELBOURNE, Australia – Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso has been given a 20-second penalty for what the Australian Grand Prix stewards deemed an “uncommon manoeuvre” which led to George Russell’s dramatic crash on the ultimate lap.

The penalty drops Alonso from sixth to eighth within the standings.

Russell crashed by way of Flip Six whereas chasing Alonso for place.

The incident was referred to the stewards as a result of means Alonso had appeared to dramatically lose pace on entry, with Russell following lower than half a second behind.

After an investigation on Sunday night Alonso was discovered to have breached Article 33.4 of the sporting rules, which states: “At no time might a automobile be pushed unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a fashion which could possibly be deemed probably harmful to different drivers or every other particular person.”

The stewards verdict mentioned: “Telemetry exhibits that Alonso lifted barely greater than 100m sooner than he ever had going into that nook in the course of the race.

“He additionally braked very barely at some extent that he didn’t often brake (though the quantity of brake was so slight that it was not the principle motive for his automobile slowing) and he downshifted at some extent he by no means often downshifted.

“He then upshifted once more, and accelerated to the nook earlier than lifting once more to make the nook. Alonso defined that whereas his plan was to gradual earlier, he bought it barely flawed and needed to take additional steps to get again in control.

“Nonetheless, this manoeuvre created a substantial and weird closing pace between the automobiles.”

Alonso’s was given a drive-through penalty, however because the race had already completed that was transformed in 20 seconds added onto his race time.

That dropped the two-time world champion behind Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, though the remainder of the points-paying positions had been unaffected.

Alonso additionally had three factors added to his superlicence.

The stewards elaborated on the choice of their verdict, a part of which they wrote in a query and reply format to clarify among the finer particulars.

“Particularly, on this case, the stewards haven’t thought-about the implications of the crash,” they wrote. “Additional, the stewards thought-about that they don’t have ample info to find out whether or not Alonso’s manoeuvre was supposed to trigger Russell issues, or whether or not as he acknowledged to the stewards that he merely was attempting to get a greater exit.

“Ought to Alonso have the correct to strive a special method to the nook? — sure.

“Ought to Alonso be accountable for soiled air, that in the end induced the incident? — no.

“Nevertheless, did he select to do one thing, with no matter intent, that was extraordinary, i.e. lifting, braking, downshifting and all the opposite components of the manoeuvre over 100m sooner than beforehand, and far better than was wanted to easily gradual earlier for the nook? — sure. By his personal account of the incident he did, and within the opinion of the stewards by doing these items, he drove in a fashion that was at very least “probably harmful” given the very excessive pace nature of that time of the monitor.”

Aston Martin has the correct to enchantment the decision.