Alonso's Tactical Play Foils Russell in Japan Race

George Russell commended Fernando Alonso’s strategy at the Suzuka Grand Prix, finding it predictable yet effective. He anticipated such a maneuver from him.

In a strategic showdown at the Japanese GP, Fernando Alonso used clever tactics to keep Oscar Piastri between him and George Russell, showcasing a masterclass in defensive driving and racecraft.

The MCL38 of the Australian lacks top speed, and Alonso kept it in his DRS zone so that his rival, who couldn’t pass him on the straights, became a blockade for Russell. When asked about the Spaniard engaging in tactical games, Russell wasn’t taken aback.

“Really? Fernando playing games? That’s unheard of!” the Mercedes F1 driver sarcastically joked. “It was clever of Fernando, and I expected no less; it’s all part of racing.”

Alonso, for his part, joked about the possibility of being penalized again for track tactics: “I don’t know what to say after what happened in Australia. Maybe they’ll disqualify me for the rest of the championship.”

“Having Piastri behind me was a way to defend against Russell. I decreased the battery level at the end of the straights so Piastri could close in to less than a second. I think Carlos also did this in Singapore last year, so it’s a normal thing we do every race.”

Piastri, meanwhile, commended Alonso’s tactic and noted that it was a good attempt, as he nearly managed to hold onto seventh place until the end, before falling back from Alonso and being overtaken by Russell: “I could see Fernando was trying to keep me there by how he was using his energy.”

“With how hard it is to follow these cars, it’s a good strategy to block a faster car from passing. There were some tough moments with George, but in the end, I made a mistake and he got by. So I’m disappointed to have let it slip at the end, but I was struggling a bit in general.”