British GP: Fernando Alonso knew Sebastian Vettel would beat him

Alonso and Vettel engaged in a heated scrap for fifth during the closing stages of Sunday's Silverstone race, with both drivers complaining over the radio about the other exceeding track limits and driving unfairly.

Alonso eventually lost out when Vettel passed him into Copse with five laps remaining, but the Spaniard told reporters after the race that defeat was inevitable given the state of his car, so he was "proud" to defend successfully for so long.

"We had two seconds deficit in pace, so if keeping him behind for 13 laps was good for the TV and our sponsors it is welcome, but we knew we would lose the position," Alonso said.

"Vettel overtook me by going out of the track. He finished in front, but I was very proud of my 13 laps.

"If he had not passed me on the lap he did it would have been the next one because we were in slow motion and they were at real speed.

"We had an aerodynamic problem and we were thinking of retiring the car.

"The rear wing was stalling and they were telling me to be very careful in the high-speed corners, we had battery problems and were completely discharged, and in the last stint they also asked me to save fuel because we were out of target.

"I think I enjoyed a little bit better the battle with Button. It was eight laps with Jenson [where] I could not pass, he was driving very well."

VETTEL: RADIO EXCHANGES 'SILLY'

Vettel started second, but slipped to fifth on the first lap and couldn't recover with a two-stop strategy.

He was pleased to beat Alonso, but described their radio tit-for-tat as "silly" and rued nmissing out on the podium.

"It felt very close with Fernando - maybe a bit too close," Vettel said.

"It got a bit silly when we both started to complain about the other going off track; I don't think the people care too much if the car is a little bit to the left or the right.

"I got the message that I should respect the limits and that he was complaining, so I was doing the same thing.

"I'm not sure who won the list-keeping. I think twice it was maybe a bit too harsh into Turn 6 [Brooklands], but it was good to get the move at the end.

"I expected to get third today, the pace was there but the strategy wasn't right."