Russell and Alonso were engaged in a battle for sixth place as the Albert Park race entered its closing stages. Russell, with fresher tires, closed in on Alonso, but approaching Turn 6, he suddenly gained on the Aston Martin, causing his Mercedes to lose stability and collide heavily with the wall.
After being checked by the FIA medical team, Russell confirmed his well-being. The incident was promptly investigated by the stewards.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Russell refrained from directly accusing Alonso but described the situation as “bizarre.” He noted a sudden increase in Alonso’s speed just before the incident.
Russell stated, “I was half a second behind Fernando 100 meters before the corner, and then suddenly he came towards me extremely quickly, and I was right in his gearbox.”
When questioned if Alonso brake-tested him, Russell responded cautiously, mentioning data that indicated Alonso braked early but didn’t draw conclusions until further investigation.
Alonso, addressing the incident before facing the FIA stewards, explained that he was dealing with a battery problem, focusing on managing his race pace.
“I was focusing in front of me and not behind. I had some issues for the last 15 laps or something on the battery, on the deployment,” Alonso explained to Sky Sports F1. “I cannot focus on the cars behind. But he’s okay. I saw the car and I was very worried.”
Despite both drivers being called to the stewards, Alonso’s explanation shed light on his perspective, citing the challenges he faced throughout the race.
