Fernando Alonso demoted to eighth place and slapped with 20-second penalty over ‘potentially dangerous’ driving

FERNANDO ALONSO has been handed a 20-second penalty for "potentially dangerous" driving at the Australian Grand Prix.

The Spaniard was charged over an incident moments before George Russell crashed out on the final lap.

Alonso drops from sixth to eighth as a result of the penalty, falling behind team-mate Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda.

Russell had been hunting him down on fresher tyres before losing control and crashing into the barriers.

The crash occurred as Alonso approached the turn 6/7 complex on the final lap.

Speaking after the race, Russell said: "I really don’t know what happened, to be honest.

"I was half a second behind Fernando on the entry of the corner and then suddenly, before the apex, I was right on his gearbox and lost the car, ran wide."

Alonso has also had three penalty points added to his licence alongside the 20-second penalty.

The stewards report reads: "Did he (Alonso) choose to do something, with whatever intent, that was extraordinary, lifting, braking, downshifting and all the other elements of the manoeuvre over 100m earlier than previously? - yes by his own account of the incident he did.

"And in the opinion of the stewards by doing these things, he drove in a manner that was at very least 'potentially dangerous' given the very high speed nature of that point of the track."

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Ferrari's Carlos Sainz claimed victory in Melbourne in a one-two with team-mate Charles Leclerc.

Lando Norris completed the podium by finishing third for McLaren.

The F1 season continues with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka on April 7.