Alonso denies blame for Hamilton crash
Today’s Bahrain Grand Prix saw the latest development in the Lewis Hamilton-Fernando Alonso rivalry. Hamilton hit the back of Alonso’s Renault causing the McLaren driver to lose his front wing.
Alonso denied he was responsible, saying: “The McLaren was just a lot faster than my car and he crashed into me.” Hamilton has not yet commented on the incident - but Alonso’s defensive driving has been criticised for causing accidents in the past.
David Coulthard blamed Alonso for causing this crash in the 2003 European Grand Prix:
Coulthard claimed Alonso had deliberately braked early for the corner to force him to take avoiding action and go off. Did Alonso do something similar today - perhaps easing off the throttle to cause Hamilton to make a mistake? Or did Hamilton just misjudge how much quicker he was?
Whatever happened it’s likely to inflame the unpopularity of Hamilton in Spain with the Spanish Grand Prix the next stop on the calendar.
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If Alonso did do that deliberately then I will lop off my left testicle, cook it in garlic butter and eat it. Claims that it was deliberate are seriously deluded and no doubt are being made by the same people who think Max should resign becuase of the false "nazi" allegations made by a worthless "newspaper".
I don’t think Alonso did it deliberately either, but I’m not going to resort to Rohan’s methods if I’m wrong.
Personally I think it was Hamilton’s fault. The Renault is slow, the McLaren is faster and to be honest wouldn’t Alonso be paying attention to what’s in front of him?
I hate that the ITV commentators started blaming Alonso. It’s ridiculous. Hamilton should have been paying attention to what was in front of him!
This is going to be long….. All I can see is Fred loosing traction at the exit of the previous left turn and, therefore, loosing speed at the exit of the right turn. I can’t se no sudden lift on the throttle… the brake test Allen’s theory is just silly. In any case, the conspiracy theory is on fire
I have saw several times the clip, and i can’t see any defencing move in Alonso. The Hamilton’s aproximattion is progressive, and you can predict when Hamilton is going to crash. I think is amilton’s fault.
Anyway without telemetry is hard to say if Alonso did something to defend from Lewis.
One last thing: If Alonso braked, i have to say is an allowed movement. In F1 ‘brake test’ are allowed in straights parts. Only in corners is nor allowed.
But after 15 times i can’t see any brake test.
The incident with DC was fully investigated by FIA stewards and after reviewing his thelemetry they had nothing to say…. Although I saw it live and thought it was a little strange…. who knows? What DC wasn’t going to do is to blame himself.
I certainly don’t think he braked. Absolutely not. If he’d braked there would have been a gigantic crash and the discussion wouldn’t be "did Alonso do anything" it would be "how long should he be banned for?"
If he did anything we’re talking about a very small lift. But if the telemetry shows him doing anything other than 100% throttle at that point then there will be some serious questions about whether it was acceptable driving.
I’m sorry Keith, but i disagree.
Alonso doing anything other than 100% throttle is obviously unfair play, but is completely allowed by FIA rules, and impossible to punish.
But i don’t think nothing strange happened. Only Lewis very anxious thinking in move up positions.
100 % throttle is something of the past, that Traction Controlled and Semiautomated cars…. this year 100% throttle is silly
Coming out of the corner Alonso should have been on the throttle so much faster than Hamilton even with a performance disadvantage. So I say Alonso defiantly ‘break tested’ Hamilton on his first opportunity to do so. Just like he held him up in the pits last year.
I seem to remember that Hamilton escaped punishment when he much more obviously brake tested in Fuji last year.
Thanks Architron for a intelligent suggestion. We’ve seen Massa make 2 mistakes in the past 2 races. All he did(as we speculate and i think we are right), was to get on the gas a lil too soon/ too hard. Hamilton lost it too, while on the kerb and accelerating. So it means people will have to be cautious. 100% throttle will be seen but, not always. I seriously wonder, about how can DC claim a moral high ground and accuse someone, after what he did in Spa, 1998, at about 300 kmph on Kemmel straight.
Alonso comes out cheap again. This guy can’t lose, and hates Hamilton, figured there wouldn’t be many times when Lewis is behind him, in any race, given the teams, and took a punch below the belt. Unsportsmanlike behavoir, but then again, Alonso has always been a sore loser. Shame on you Fernando!
in the us speed didn’t even consider the possibility that alonso could be faulted. hamilton just pulled too much speed and maybe anticipated alonso would be accelerating faster. misjudgement.
my question is-what the heck was button thinking of?
This is just rediculous! Next they are going to blame Alonso for Hamilton’s start. Maybe Alonso sneezed as he went past the Mc Laren before the start and the aerodynamics of the car got changed!
Hammy cleary had a bad start and like he does when he has a bad start he started seeing overtaking opportunities where they do not exist and banged into the back of the Renault.
Ok Derek, i buy you that one, Alonso is a driver who play unfairly. Is he also stupid?
Brake test is a movement to force at the other driver to change direction, not to cause an accident. If Alonso did a break test so late that hamilton couldn’t avoid the collision, he was also damaging himself.
Maybe ITV sholud learn that Hamilton is not going to win all the times. Hamilton fails, like all the drivers does.
Maybe 100% throttle is unrealistic, and "break tests" or lifting is a perfectly legal move. But the telemetry will clearly show if he was driving that section of track differently to usual. Renault team apparently broadcast their telemetry on their website. I’d guess most the paddock already know what happened.
Even if he lifted i don’t think it was reckless driving. Cheeky, but not dangerous. The resulting collision wasn’t particularly spectacular.
The difference in speed was certainly a bit odd.
I think this is all blown up because ITV don’t think Hamilton can make mistakes. Had Hamilton crashed into anybody bar Alonso it wouldn’t be this big a deal. Or had someone else crashed into Alonso bar Hamilton it wouldn’t be speculated he did it on purpose!
Seriously I think Hamilton needs to relearn F1 driving… last year that supercomputerized machines did a lot of work by him, managing the engine power, redistributing brake power and balance on each turn, launch control, etc. (it has been said that there were a different engine setting for each turn………)
But this year is a complete different business… he needs to acquire the instinct that comes after battling with such dog of a car like a Minardi, a Jaguar, a last year Renault, an Honda or a last year Toyota. Wild reactions with no margin for error: no more full throttle, watch for the kerbs, be careful braking, and be aware of the front car.
What on earth does Alonso have to gain by ‘brake testing’ Hamilton?
I seem to recall Vettel running into the back of Webber thanks to Hamilton’s antics behind the SC last year. Vettel got punished for that, so surely Hamilton should get punished for running into Alonso?
I do hope that ITV gets a letter from Alonso’s lawyers for slander. They have absolutely no proof and they could hardly talk about anything else.
Perhaps they should have talked about Lewis’ start, instead…
Of course Alonso lifted his foot off the accelerator, its not worth getting into an argument but time will tell!!
amackayj
It was Hamilton who got called into the Stewards at Fuji ie. the car in front!! So Alonso should provide his print out if he has nothing to hide.
Another bite of reality (and after this I’ll slow down and watch the battle). Why McLaren haven’t said anything about the incident at this moment?
I think McLaren will make sure they have all their ‘ducks in a row’ before saying enything.
Derek - if your memory was working you would recall that Hamilton only got called into the stewards after massive uproar by the drivers themselves. Initially Vettel was deemed solely to blame.
We all know that Hamilton has a history of driving as if no-one else is on the road (yet another part of his disgraceful arrogance), so this incident should come as no surprise to anyone who follows F1 closely enough.
Architrion, McLaren haven’t said anything because (and I quote) they "see no benefit from having Alonso reprimanded". This is complete bull and is yet another indicator of McLaren’s double standards.
Architrion, obviously because they know Hamilton was to blame not Alonso.
Rohan Granted,I have been accused (justifiably some might say) of selective memory in the past but not for my lack of knowledge or passion for F1. In this case I just happen to be a Hamilton fan, and what’s so wrong with that.
Anyone heard the word avenge guys, Alonso is not a good sportsman, prolly chuckling to himself right now.
We could create a fan club here on the basis of the McLaren’s double standards :-))
With all the circumstantial evidence, I think alonso is at fault - no one else came close to hitting the car in front. The concertina effect makes it highly unlikely. Also the obvious rivalry… Alonso knew he was going to be passed - the Mclaren is the better car by miles. But I don’t think he braked. He was slower on the accelerator to force hamilton to back off and he was in the middle of the track so able to swerve to avoid hamilton overtaking. Alonso didn’t intend to crash, just try and gain a little breathing space and delay Hamilton’s inevitable overtaking. Plus it would have wound Hamilton up, which to Alonso is a BIG bonus.
I was amazed at how fast the itv commentators jumped on Alonso as "causing the incident". He looks out of shape through the entire corner and appears to be struggling with understear in an obviously inferior car. Hamilton’s second season doesn’t make him an F1 veteran hes still a rookie and in my opinion made a typical rookies mistake ie took no avoiding action or obvious passing manoevre attempt just rammed him one. If that had happened off circuit Hamiltons insurance company would have picked up the bill LOL.
HAHA! You lot make me laugh!
Yes, I am a supporter of Hamilton, but your constant dismissive remarks are a joke!
Alonso had nothing to gain from lifting off, accept payback for last year. He’s now in a crappy Renault, whilst this younger faster, better driver is is one of the best cars in the field.
We all know he is capable of such antics after the pit lane hold up last season.
Alonso should have been going much faster out of the corner, being on the throttle over a car length before Hamilton was.
Alonso hates Hamilton, and figured there wouldn’t be many times when Lewis was behind him on the track and took full advantage. He was out of the points, and had nothing to loose, or gain. Unsportsmanlike, but then again, Alonso has always been a sore loser.
Leah said:
"Had Hamilton crashed into anybody bar Alonso it wouldn’t be this big a deal. Or had someone else crashed into Alonso bar Hamilton it wouldn’t be speculated he did it on purpose!"
You’re right. It wouldn’t be spectulated. Alonso has no reason to do it to anybody else. He’s still got a grudge from his apparently ‘poor’ treatment he recieved from Mclaren last year. Or more like he didn’t get his own way.
Architrion said:
"Seriously I think Hamilton needs to relearn F1 driving… last year that supercomputerized machines did a lot of work by him, managing the engine power, redistributing brake power and balance on each turn, launch control, etc. (it has been said that there were a different engine setting for each turn………) But this year is a complete different business… he needs to acquire the instinct that comes after battling with such dog of a car like a Minardi, a Jaguar, a last year Renault, an Honda or a last year Toyota. Wild reactions with no margin for error: no more full throttle, watch for the kerbs, be careful braking, and be aware of the front car"
Do you not think he already knows how to drive without aids? You know he has driven all his life in many other formulas, many or maybe all of which have no driver aids?
Oh, and the sooner the Ferrari supporting Max Mosely is out, the better. It will be nice having an independent president of the FIA.
I’m willing to accept a two races ban for Fred if he brake tested Hami…. but, what penalty should receive that guy if he just mounted in the back of the Renault? Perhaps he thought that he was even faster although he had to tow that tractor….
Pete said:
With all the circumstantial evidence, I think alonso is at fault - no one else came close to hitting the car in front. The concertina effect makes it highly unlikely. Also the obvious rivalry… Alonso knew he was going to be passed - the Mclaren is the better car by miles. But I don’t think he braked. He was slower on the accelerator to force hamilton to back off and he was in the middle of the track so able to swerve to avoid hamilton overtaking. Alonso didn’t intend to crash, just try and gain a little breathing space and delay Hamilton’s inevitable overtaking. Plus it would have wound Hamilton up, which to Alonso is a BIG bonus.
TOTALLY agree
If Alonso did it deliberately, than he would seriously risk losing his rear wing, thus being out of the race (like what happened with Fisichella and Yamamoto in brazil last year). Hamilton was the one to blame, in my opinion.
Dear Jeff
In previous formulas he hasn’t coped with cars that are near of 850 hp, with the materials they are constructed reaching his limits of stress, when 2 mms of the chasis twisting can turn into a spin. That could be a reason why being a rookie has been so hard in the past, don’t you think???
To me, it looks like Alonso ran wide in Turn 2, lifted off so as not to be speared off the track by the curb and Hamilton didn’t see it coming and crashed into him. Just a racing incident in my view.
Frecon - I live in Woking and know 2 people who work at the Mclaren factory. I do not base my opinions on what journalist, newspapers or forums say. I base it on what my close, trusted friends tell me. Thanks.
Architrion - Just because he now has more horsepower does not mean he has forgotten the basics facts of driving a racing car.
funny, but ridiculous
I’ve had to delete a couple of comments from this thread for swearing.
Please keep it clean guys.
Comment policy
I didn’t read all comments, so pardon me if I repeat someone…
I just wanna say that one obvious rule in driving was forgotten by those who blame Alonso: THE ONE BEHIND IS RESPONSIBLE UNTIL THE ONE AHEAD IS PROVED WRONG!
Alonso was slow, but it wasn’t a break test, I think he took too long to get full speed, but nothing justifies Hamilton’s crash… It was totally different from Button-Coulthard incident, for example…
Lewis was, being gentle with him, pretty reckless…
Well, he is showing, once again, how badly he can drive when trying to do a recovery race (Nurburgring, Interlagos, and now Sakhir)….
Disclaimer: I still think Hamilton WILL BE one of all-time Formula 1 greats…
Hamilton said he saw nothing wrong with the incident in a post race interview. Racing incident.
Having watched replays, no, nothing wrong that I could see either. Alonso does have a knack of mid corner braking to unsettle the following car, isnt that how he kept schumi behind him in imola 05 (I think?), but this was after the apex, looks like hamilton just had better drive out of it
What was his gesture to fisi about, punching the air in a ‘woohoo, I’m past him’ celebration or a ‘you tosser’ gesture?
If the latter, why?
Alonso was gesticulating behind Glock too, both racing for positions. Frustrating times in the midfield? Glock stated he had gear selection problems that slowed him and allowed alonso to close
oh hamiltons bad start, bad engine mapping, didnt select it in time on the formation lap or somesuch, and anti-stall kicked in
Have you got a link for that please Del?
Has nobody notice that Hami was in despair to overtake Alonso because he knew Fred was heavier fueled and staying behind him could ruin his race?
If Hamilton was as lightly fuelled as I think he was Architron that would go for every driver in front of him.
Sorry Keith, i didn’t realize my previous comment was unpolite
It was easy for Hamilton last year when he got all the benefits from Alonso’s car setup. Now, he has to proof as a driver and you are starting to see the results.
One comment about BMW: good for the pole, but they need to find a driver who can bare the presure of being number one.
These are the 2 people Bernie would love to be battling for the title - because it generates so MUCH discussion. A pity Lewis is shooting himself in the foot, just like Alonso already has with the way he acted last year.
I translate a small part of a new in a spanish sport newspaper
After the race, Symmonds showed a copy of the telemtries at the moment of the incident. It can be oserved how the throttle line is always growing up
http://www.as.com/motor/articulo/symmonds-demuestra-telemetria-hamilton-golpeo/dasmot/20080406dasdasmot_5/Tes