No action taken over clash with Felipe Massa in Austin
Monday 24 October 2016 01:24, UK
Fernando Alonso has retained fifth place in the US GP after stewards decided to take no action over his late-race clash with Williams' Felipe Massa.
The McLaren driver banged wheels with Massa's car as he overtook his former team-mate for sixth at Turn 15, with the Williams taking to the run-off area and suffering a puncture.
FIA stewards investigated the incident after the race but ruled that 'no driver was wholly or predominately to blame for the collision'.
Alonso went on to overtake countryman Carlos Sainz for fifth place, equalling McLaren's best result of the season.
Massa, who finished seventh, had blamed Alonso for causing the collision.
"I was just doing the corner and he just dived completely inside," the Brazilian told Sky Sports F1. "I was already entering the corner and he just hit my car and I had a puncture. It just destroyed my opportunities I had on that moment. So, for sure, his responsibility."
Alonso, however, felt Massa had turned in on him and it should go down as a racing incident.
"I think that I was side-by-side with him," he said. "It's not that I was coming from behind or any crazy thing, there was not the space to turn in, but the stewards will decide. Hopefully it remains as a race incident."
As a result of the late-race turnaround, Alonso has now moved ahead of Massa into 10th place in the Drivers' Championship.
Don't miss The F1 Report's review of the United States GP on Sky Sports F1 at 8.30pm on Wednesday evening with Natalie Pinkham, Marc Priestley and Dave Richards
