Fernando Alonso joked that the FIA may ‘disqualify him from the championship’ for deliberately handing DRS to Oscar Piastri during the latter stages of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Upon arrival in the Japanese GP paddock, the two-time world champion was still extremely frustrated with the stewards’ decision to hand him a 20-second post-race penalty and three points on his super license for a controversial final-lap defence against George Russell in Melbourne two weeks prior.
Alonso utilised some clever tactics during Sunday’s race as well. Heading into the final few laps, the Spaniard was running in P6 with Piastri running close behind in P7 and Russell hunting them down with much fresher medium compound tyres in P8.
With Russell closing at a rate of knots, Alonso took a leaf from Carlos Sainz’s book, replicating his compatriot’s strategy from the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix and deliberately backing up, giving DRS to Piastri behind to help the Aussie defend from the charging Mercedes driver.
This was working perfectly and would have allowed both himself and Piastri to hold position, but the McLaren starlet made an error at Turn 16 on the penultimate lap, allowing Russell to set up for an overtake on the final trip to Turn One. Alonso, however, was able to keep hold of his position, achieving a valuable eight-point haul for Aston Martin.
Asked after the race whether his tactics were deliberate, the veteran Spaniard responded with a cheeky dig at the FIA stewards. “I don’t know what to say, after Australia,” he said. “Maybe they disqualify me from the Championship.”
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