F1 News: George Russell Reveals He Wasn't Looking When He Hit Fernando Alonso

George Russell admitted during the FIA press conference before the Japanese Grand Prix that he was not paying attention when he collided with Fernando Alonso at the Australian Grand Prix. This incident led to Alonso being controversially penalised for what the stewards deemed reckless driving.

Key Takeaways:

• George Russell conceded that he was not looking at the track when he crashed into Fernando Alonso, having been focused on his steering wheel.
• The British driver supports the stewards' decision to penalise Alonso, arguing it prevents setting a dangerous precedent.
• Despite the on-track incident, Russell and Alonso's strong friendship remains unchanged, with the pair even sharing a light-hearted moment post-race.

George Russell, the Mercedes driver from Britain, found himself in the spotlight at the FIA press conference ahead of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix. This was following a significant incident at the previous race in Australia, where he was involved in a serious collision with Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso. The aftermath of this incident saw the Spaniard receive a penalty for what was deemed as reckless driving due to premature braking, as per the race stewards' decision.

This ruling sparked widespread discussion, yet Russell felt it was the correct course of action to prevent setting a precedent for future racing conduct. He detailed the unexpected nature of the incident:

"I think it was obviously a strange situation that occurred last week. As I said at the time, it took me completely by surprise. I was actually looking at the steering wheel shifting gears on the straightaway, which we all do along the way. of the lap, and when I looked up I was in Fernando's gearbox and it was too late and the next thing I know I was against the wall."

Russell elaborated on his viewpoint regarding the penalty, suggesting that not penalising such actions could lead to further confusion and potentially hazardous behaviour on track.

"So, I think if I hadn't been penalized, it really would have opened Pandora's box for the rest of the season and in the lower categories. You could say, 'Are you allowed to brake on a straight, are you allowed to slow down?' speed, change gears, accelerate, do something semi-erratic?"

Away from the track, the camaraderie between Russell and Alonso remains strong. Despite the high tensions typical of competitive racing, the two have shown a mutual respect that transcends the adrenaline of competition. Russell humorously recounted a recent encounter with Alonso.

"By coincidence, we crossed paths in a cafeteria. It's not personal, when we put on the helmet we are gladiators and when we take it off we have respect. The emotions of the moment were left behind. We didn't talk about it in the cafeteria, but he didn't invite me to the cafe... It's a thing of the past."