Hamilton unhappy with Alonso's start move

Alonso and Hamilton arrived side by side at the first corner, and the Spaniard forced the Briton off the track.

Hamilton had to go over the astro-turf before rejoining the track and again going side by side before the Eau Rouge corner, where Alonso emerged ahead.

The Briton felt Alonso's move had not been fair.

"I wouldn't say fair, but it was hard," Hamilton said of Alonso's move. "The guy on the outside doesn't always have the corner. I don't know whether I was ahead, but there was enough room for us all to get round fair and square.

"I just feel for someone that's always complaining about people doing unfair manoeuvres, and everyone wanting to be fair and someone I look up to, and 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.

"At Eau Rouge it's impossible to take two Formula One cars through there without taking each other out, so I just lifted."

He added: "We all had equal starts, perhaps a little bit better for me than for Fernando. I braked quite late and was on the outside quite close to the Ferraris, and I was just behind Felipe. I started to accelerate and all of a sudden Fernando came sweeping across me, and he knew I was there, so...

"I did the best job I could to get by him down the straight, but it wasn't enough."

Hamilton finished the race in fourth place behind Alonso, who is now two points behind with three races to go.

The championship leader said he was still optimistic despite today's result.

"I still feel positive," added Hamilton. "I know it's difficult to believe that, but I am still leading the world championship by two points.

"He only took one point from me today. It's been a tough week, and for sure a lot tougher week for me than for Fernando because ... I won't say any more.

"I think we all did a good job to still bring the car home, and the last three races will be close."

When asked why the week had been harder for him than for Alonso, Hamilton said: "I feel more attached to the team, I guess, and I care a bit more I think."