More F1 Penalty Points in Austria for Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso has moved up to eight penalty points after contact with Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu during the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Alonso and Aston Martin have lacked performance lately, with the Spaniard conceding that the team is braced for a difficult run until further updates are introduced to the ill-handling AMR24, with questions over pace deflected to team management.

Alonso crashed into the struggling Zhou at Turn 3 and sustained a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points for his misdemeanor. The sanction moves Alonso up to eight penalty points, with drivers allowed to accumulate only 12 across a 12-month period before they receive a one-round suspension.

All of Alonso’s eight penalty points have been accrued in this calendar year. Alonso joins Sergio Perez with eight penalty points, while Haas’ Kevin Magnussen is still atop the charts with 10. Magnussen has so far navigated five events without picking up any more sanctions.

Williams 'On a Mission' to March up F1 Grid

The composition of Formula 1 teams is ever evolving, but Williams has been on a recruitment drive as it continues its bid to rise up the grid.

Under boss James Vowles, Williams has been heavily restructuring, in terms of personnel, its departments, and its infrastructure back at its factory at Grove. It has now announced a raft of senior changes to its team, the most prominent being Matt Harman joining as Design Director—he will take up his role after the summer shutdown—and Juan Molina as chief aerodynamicist. Both have vast experience in the sport, with Harman working for Mercedes prior to a spell at Alpine, from where he departed on the eve of the 2024 season, while Molina has had roles at Red Bull Racing and Haas.

Williams has placed a particular emphasis on recruiting for its design office and aero team, with Harman and Molina among 26 new faces who will join at various interludes across the remainder of 2024.

“We are on a mission to fight our way back to the front and being able to attract experienced, championship-winning talent from other teams demonstrates huge belief in the journey we are on,” Vowles said. “Williams is investing in what it takes to win, and this is just the start as we prepare to welcome more new faces from across the grid in the months ahead.”