Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Alonso defends Spa's start move

World champion Fernando Alonso has defended his move at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix after being criticised by teammate Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton was unhappy with Alonso after what the Briton considered a hard move at the exit of the first corner.

"I started to accelerate and all of a sudden Fernando came sweeping across me, and he knew I was there, so...," Hamilton said.

Asked whether such a move could be considered hard but fair, Hamilton said: "I wouldn't say fair, but it was hard.

"For someone that's always complaining about people doing unfair manoeuvres, and wanting to be fair, and someone I look up to...he has gone and swiped me and pushed me as wide as he could.

"I was just really lucky there was a run-off area so I could take that."

Hamilton admitted later he had calmed down after his comments, and said he wanted to talk to Alonso about the incident.

"I think it is something that it is best I speak personally to Fernando about," he added. "I felt there was enough room for all of us to get around, but somehow I ran out of road. It is up to you to decide how that happened."

Alonso made it clear after the race that he wanted to avoid controversies, but the world champion said there was nothing wrong with his move.

"Before anything else, I want to make clear that I don't want to argue and that I'm fine with what everybody has to say. Let's make that clear before anything else," Alonso told Spanish reporters after the race.

"At the start I tried to keep my position. I saw that Massa had locked his wheel a bit and I was hoping to pass him. But then he recovered well and I couldn't do it. Then I tried to go wide to have a good exit.

"I saw Lewis on the outside and that, instead of lifting, he used the part that's not the circuit, the safety part, to continue flat out and end up side by side with me.

"From there I thought sooner or later he would let me pass. I thought he was going to lift before Eau Rouge and that's why I kept going flat out. Maybe on television it seemed spectacular, but from inside the car it's a different world.

"I didn't have to do anything. It's just physics and logic. If you are doing Eau Rouge round the outside you have to lift the throttle."

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Hamilton stays cool despite reduced gap
Next article Dennis downplays Spa's start incident

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe