Fernando Alonso labelled seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton “an fool” who solely is aware of the way to race on the entrance after they collided on the primary lap of the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The 2 outdated rivals had been battling for third place down the Kemmel Straight with Hamilton seeking to overtake Alonso across the outdoors of the Les Combes chicane.

1 Associated

As they went by means of the entry to the nook they made contact, sending Hamilton’s automotive into the air briefly earlier than each went over the run-off space and rejoined the circuit.

A radio message from Alonso was later broadcast, with the Spaniard saying: “What an fool! Closing the door from the surface. We had an ideal begin however this man solely is aware of the way to drive and begin in first.”

Alonso was in a position to proceed, however the collision ended Hamilton’s race. Mercedes advised him to cease his automotive a number of corners later.

Hamilton accepted full blame for the incident.

“Wanting again on the footage, he was in my blind spot and I did not depart him sufficient house so it was my fault as we speak,” Hamilton mentioned. “Simply sorry for the workforce.”

When requested concerning the radio message, he mentioned: “Does not actually matter what he mentioned. Like I mentioned, it was my fault.”

The stewards didn’t deem the incident worthy of additional investigation, suggesting they felt it had been a racing incident with neither driver predominantly in charge.

The reasoning was: “The Stewards reviewed the video proof and decided that Alonso was on the within at flip 5. Hamilton’s entrance wheels had been forward of Alonso’s on the entry to the nook.

“Alonso moved his automotive off line to the within with each proper facet tyres totally on the kerb and even considerably contained in the kerb. At no level did Alonso seem to lose management or understeer.

“Hamilton changed into in the direction of the apex of the nook with Alonso nonetheless alongside facet and the collision occurred.

“The Stewards thought-about that this was a primary lap incident with numerous motion relative to different automobiles within the first few corners, and thus take no additional motion.”

Sarcastically, on the time of Alonso’s quote, Hamilton had been the one driver within the final decade to have gained a race from 14th or decrease, doing so on the 2018 German Grand Prix.

A short time after the collision, Max Verstappen claimed a outstanding win at Spa having began from the identical place.