Fernando Alonso called Lewis Hamilton an ‘idiot’ after their crash at the Belgian GP but apologises and says comments were “in heat of the moment”; Watch Dutch GP all live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend, with Sunday’s race at 2pm
By Matt Morlidge in Zandvoort
Last Updated: 01/09/22 2:01pm
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Fernando Alonso followed up his radio rant against Lewis Hamilton by furiously wagging his finger at the British driver following their crash at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso has apologised for his comments about Lewis Hamilton after their Belgian GP crash, insisting the Mercedes driver is a “legend”.
After Hamilton turned in on Alonso at the start of Sunday’s race and launched into the air, Alonso called his former team-mate an “idiot” on team radio and said he “only knows how to drive and start in first”.
Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle said in his column this week that Alonso’s jibe was “inaccurate and unfair”.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Dutch GP, Alonso said he regretted the outburst and offered an apology to Hamilton, who he called a “champion” and a “legend of our time”.
“When you say something – and I’m sorry to repeat this – against a British driver, there is a huge media involvement after that,” said Alonso.
“If you say something to a Latin driver, everything’s a little bit more fun. But when you say something to others, it’s a little bit more serious.
“But yes, I apologise. I was not thinking what I said.”
The multiple world champions were battling for third and fourth place for Spa into Turn 5 before the collision, after which Hamilton was forced to retire while Alonso eventually finished fifth in the Alpine.
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Despite choosing to leave Alpine at the end of this season, Fernando Alonso insists he still has a positive relationship with the team.
“I don’t think there was much to blame in that moment looking at the replays because it’s a first-lap incident and we are all very close to each other,” explained Alonso.
“The heat of the moment and the adrenaline of the moment, finally fighting for top two, top three, made me say those comments that I should not say.”
Asked if he believed Hamilton could not drive anywhere other than first, as he suggested last weekend, he added: “No, no, no, I don’t believe [that]. It’s not even that I believe or don’t believe, there are facts that it is not that way.
“I have huge respect.”
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Lewis Hamilton has hailed Red Bull’s car this season after Max Verstappen’s dominant victory in Belgium at the last race.
Alonso said he hoped to apologise to Hamilton in person later on Thursday.
“Hopefully when we are doing the TV pen I will approach him and say sorry if he understood in that way.
“I have absolutely no problems with him.”
More to follow.