Fernando Alonso has retained fifth place in the United States Grand Prix after clashing with Felipe Massa late in the race.
The Spaniard was on a late charge and caught up to Massa’s Williams, putting in an opportunistic overtake at Turn 16.
But the two drivers collided as they went for the apex, with both going wide. Alonso remained ahead but the stewards decided to investigate the incident after the race.
Alonso went on to pass Carlos Sainz Jr. on the penultimate lap to move into fifth place, which is where he finished at the chequered flag.
The stewards decided to take no further action against Alonso after reviewing footage of the incident.
The statement said: “The Stewards examined the evidence and conclude that no driver was wholly or predominately to blame for the collision.”
Fifth place is Alonso and McLaren’s best result of the 2016 season since the Monaco Grand Prix in May.
Massa, who finished seventh after a puncture, said on the incident: “At the end, Fernando dived into the corner I was taking, hit my car and I got a puncture because of it. It destroyed every opportunity I had to finish the race in sixth, and potentially fifth.”
