Overview
- On the first lap at the United States Grand Prix, Alex Albon dived inside at Turn 11 and made contact with Fernando Alonso, stripping aero parts from Alonso’s Aston Martin and breaking Albon’s front wing.
- Alonso finished 16th after a second pit stop to change his damaged wing and said the impact left his car like “half a car” and cost about half a second per lap.
- The race stewards reviewed the incident but did not issue a penalty for Albon, and that decision stands with no further sanctions reported.
- Alonso publicly criticised drivers in the lower third of the grid as having “very low” quality, while Albon defended his move and confirmed he carried damage for the rest of the race.
- The lost points were costly for Aston Martin because Alonso believed the team could have finished around ninth or tenth, a result that would have narrowed the constructors battle with Williams and highlighted continuing debate over stewarding consistency.