Alonso shows frustration with swerve

That is the view of McLaren managing director Martin Whitmarsh, who thinks that the move was simply of expression of frustration at not being allowed a free route through to take the lead from Lewis Hamilton.

Alonso had a quicker car at that stage of the race and, after closing up on Hamilton, the world champion tried a move around the outside on the run down to the first corner on lap 38.

That attempt failed and one lap later, after dropping behind Hamilton, he swerved across the track towards the pit wall - prompting suggestions that he was not happy about something.

Alonso played down the situation afterwards, half smiling to journalists when he explained that he had simply been trying to clean up his overalls and car.

"I followed the other car [Hamilton's] for so many laps my overalls and everything were so black because the carbon brakes were coming into me every braking point," said Alonso.

"I think my brakes were hotter, all my car was hotter than normal, so I tried to pull away from the slipstream sometimes just to cool the car."

But Whitmarsh thinks that the Spaniard was frustrated by the fact that the team were not going to interfere in the fight for victory - even though Alonso could have gone quicker at that stage of the race if he had got past Hamilton.

"Frankly, in the middle of the race, Fernando was a bit quicker but Lewis had track position - they were pushing hard," said Whitmarsh.

"At various points in the race, it was clear that Fernando was a little bit quicker but Lewis did a fantastic job in qualifying. He did a great start and robustly defended his position on a couple of times at turn one."

When asked what message Alonso was sending out by his swerve, Whitmarsh said: "He was sending it to Lewis. Drivers do that from time to time.

"I'm sure any driver would like to - if they were in a position where they felt they're driving a quicker car at the time - be given rite of passage to the front. We were running absolutely fair programmes for both drivers."

Alonso certainly felt that he had a quicker car during the race - which is why qualifying positions and the start were key to the outcome of the event.

"I think it was the key of the race because we were extremely close this weekend," he explained. "I really think I was a little bit quicker in the race because when you follow a car in one second distance, something like that, means that you are a bit quicker because to follow that close is not easy.

"I had a good car all through the race, maybe with no graining, with no other problems. So, yeah, I think it was close this time, so, whoever is first in Turn One has 90 percent of the race."