Fernando Alonso predicted Lewis Hamilton will not be penalised for the collision at the start of the Miami Grand Prix “because he’s not Spanish”.
The Aston Martin driver was one of four involved in a clash on the first lap of today’s sprint race in Miami. The incident began when Hamilton touched Alonso’s car, sending him into team mate Lance Stroll who then touched Lando Norris.The McLaren driver retired while the Aston Martin pair dropped to the back of the grid. The stewards announced during the race they would not take any action over the circumstances which led to Norris’ retirement.
“Well, we’ll see what they decide,” Alonso told DAZN after the race. “I guess they’re not going to give anything because he’s not Spanish.
“But I think he ruined the races of a few people, Norris especially, which had a very fast car and he was [taken] out in that incident.”
Alonso picked up six penalty points in the three races prior to the Miami Grand Prix. His Aston Martin team requested a review of the most recent of those incidents. The stewards are yet to announce their decision.
Hamilton went on to finish eighth in the sprint race before being relegated to 16th due to a penalty for speeding in the pit lane during the Safety Car period which was triggered by Norris’ retirement.
Alonso circulated at the rear of the field and pitted before the end of the race. “For us, we had no interest in the sprint race,” he said. “We checked the degradation for tomorrow and we managed it. For us it’s like a first practice, it isn’t really a race.”
“Now the important part of the race begins, the qualifying and tomorrow the 57 laps. I think we can draw some conclusions from this sprint for the parc ferme that opens now and let’s see if we can improve the car a little bit.”
Update: Stewards explained why Hamilton avoided penalty
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2024 Miami Grand Prix
- McLaren had superior pace before Verstappen’s damage in Miami – Norris
- Sainz ‘struggles to understand’ why he got penalty when Perez didn’t
- Alonso’s unusual brake problem and more unheard Miami team radio
- McLaren’s Miami upgrade success points to even stronger form in coming races
- Norris expects more wins this year and believes “100%” in 2025 title bid
Adam (@rocketpanda)
4th May 2024, 18:59
Admittedly was surprised he didn’t get a penalty for using the Aston’s as a brake.
BLS (@brightlampshade)
4th May 2024, 19:01
Alonso crashed into his own team mate and then Hamilton crashed into him. Should Hamilton have gotten a penalty? possibly, but lets not pretend Alonso wasn’t already mid crash when Hamilton rolled in.
Dex
4th May 2024, 20:15
You neglect the fact that Alonso has mirrors, and that he was avoiding Hamilton himself. It’s not that obvious from the video, but that’s just being smart and looking in your mirrors (the way they teach us in driving school). It doesn’t matter what Alonso did anyway, because the outcome would always be the same; Hamilton was arriving at speed and there’s no way he could’ve been avoided.
BLS (@brightlampshade)
4th May 2024, 21:45
Too busy looking in his mirrors that he crashed into his teammate in front of him?
Hamilton went into the corner too fast and was bound to hit someone, that much is obvious. But that doesn’t give Alonso a free pass for having his own accident and doing the big no-no, hitting your teammate.
I assume it’s why he’s lashing out a bit post race, he’s a bit embarrassed for ending Strolls race.
SteveP
4th May 2024, 23:13
+1
Hamilton was a touch optimistic, but Alonso already had the ball rolling for a three car incident (Alo/Str/Nor) before Ham arrived.
You can understand the loud comments to deflect blame, he’s probably embarrassed beyond belief.
Edvaldo
4th May 2024, 19:07
Alonso was already tangling wheels with Stroll when Hamilton arrived.
His left front touches Stroll’s right rear wheel causing him to spin and touch Norris.
If he didn’t get a penalty, Hamilton shouldn’t either.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
4th May 2024, 19:50
alonso only had to steer towards stroll because of hamilton lunging down the inside. I don’t think alonso was to blame at all for this. Only Hamilton.
Edvaldo
4th May 2024, 20:55
“From the video evidence, it appeared that there were at least three collisions that occurred – the first between cars 14 [Alonso] and 18 [Stroll] and then between car 44 [Hamilton] and car 14 and
finally between car 18 and car four [Norris]”
I don’t think stewards are paid to read minds, so they only can judge what they see. And what they saw is Alonso hitting Stroll and only then getting hit.
MadMax (@madmax)
5th May 2024, 1:21
Alonso did not collide with his teammate because of Hamilton. Better watch some reviews.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
4th May 2024, 19:10
Honestly Hamilton outbraked himself massively. For someone as experienced as he is, it was ridiculous.
And the TV broadcast didn’t talk about it like they’d have had it been a Stroll or a Sargeant, to be entirely honest.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
4th May 2024, 19:33
Reminded me more than a little of Grosjean’s first-corner lunge at Spa in 2012, for which he received a race ban.
mystic one (@mysticus)
5th May 2024, 3:19
fortunately some people use specs and watch with their eyes, rather than with their rear ears! ham’s lunge and consequent braking was within limits. could get a penalty if it was only alo. unfortunately alo is not known to be a very honest man when it comes to judging situations. he didnt see ham until he dived and came along. when he was checking his mirrors it was another car, no way he could see ham all the way to his right! perhaps imagining ham on his tail all the time, and he leaves space for ham all the time! what a gent! what really happened stroll done a stroll and cut across when alo was going left, collided/crashed stroll then ham came into pic minor collusion. but stroll was already out of control at that time, and unfortunate for norris
Dave
5th May 2024, 14:36
Norris said it was 100% Hamilton’s fault. But what does he know? Put your specs on and watch it again without bias.
Edvaldo
5th May 2024, 14:46
And the stewards didnt agree with that statement. What do they know, right?
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
4th May 2024, 19:12
Yeah, but he isn’t white either Fernando.
Surely that goes against him in your world view?
Dex
4th May 2024, 20:18
It doesn’t at all, in British F1 (owned by Americans). Hamilton did avoid a penalty that others haven’t. Even Sky commentators have said that (Brundle is always fair, but Crofty is extremely pro-Hamilton, and even he said so himself right away).
Derek Edwards
4th May 2024, 20:37
I expect Alonso will avoid criticising Lance for driving into him because he is the son of his employer.
Roy Beedrill
5th May 2024, 3:54
He obviously made a dig at Hamilton’s “Maybe stuards penalised me because I’m Black” infamous words after 2011 Monaco GP.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
5th May 2024, 4:56
The stewards deserve(d) such ridiculous out poor, then and now.
mog
5th May 2024, 5:40
Ah the good ol’ reverse racism trick. Obviously, Alonso is white therefore his worldview is irrevocably racist!
Such good logic. And not in the least a racist comment at all.
Ben-Hur (@ben-hur)
5th May 2024, 16:52
That’s the silliest comment ever. Whatever makes you think THAT of Alonso?
Aquila_GD
4th May 2024, 19:19
Infact, the reason why Max has won the last 3 world championships is because he is Dutch and they had not had a champion for sometime. I also happen to recall that Sainz was let go because he is not Italian or French and Schumacher won so much because he is from Germany. In the same vein, Alonso should be allowed to win this year because he is Spanish and they have not won the title for a while.
Alonso just making himself look silly again.
Patrick (@paeschli)
4th May 2024, 19:30
The only reason Verstappen wins world championships is because Hamilton gets penalties for being black and Alonso gets penalties for being Spanish. /s
Dave
4th May 2024, 19:44
To know whose fault it was you have to see the replay from Alonso’s inboard camera.
It appears Alonso drives into Lance but if you look at his helmet it is clear he sees Hamilton coming in hot on the inside and knows HAM is going crash into him unless he takes evasive action. HAN flat spotted his front tire after he realized he wasn’t going to make the turn.
It’s 100% HAM’s fault. I never thought I’d say it, but looking at the seemingly countless wrecks he has caused over the last couple of years has convinced me he’s washed up.
Jere (@jerejj)
4th May 2024, 19:46
What does nationality have to do with him not getting penalized for the late lunge that caused a chain reaction?
I’m also slightly baffled about people typing everywhere that the Astons already had contact before Hamilton’s hit, which didn’t seem to be the case on the replays, T-cam, or overhead views.
BLS (@brightlampshade)
4th May 2024, 19:50
Have you watched the official highlights yet? The ones where at 54s the Aston’s collide before Hamilton turns up?
I’m all for having different opinions, but sometimes you do have to succumb to basic facts.
https://youtu.be/8Hxn1m-jdyk?si=thSzGtIWMC5Gf3uV
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
4th May 2024, 23:56
The context is important though. I see this as self preservation. Fernando could see Lewis coming in hot so his choices are avoid his teammate and get t-boned at considerable speed or straighten up and make minor contact with Lance to avoid Lewis. He chose the lesser of 2 evils. Things could have been much worse had he turned into the corner.
Jon
5th May 2024, 2:10
This
BLS (@brightlampshade)
5th May 2024, 9:25
I’d argue that “choosing” to hit your team mate is the greater of two evils, not lesser.
Hamilton was coming in too hot but like 10kph too hot, that’s not getting t-boned at considerable speed.
Looking at the other cars around at the point of Hamiltons impact (after the two Aston’s already collide), a part of the difference in closing speed is Alonso trying to back out of Stroll and so going slower than the pack as a whole.
It would be a nailed on penalty for Hamilton if he started it all, but as it was he was just a part of the overall collision, and stewards rarely penalise team mate on team mate collisions.
Dave
5th May 2024, 14:30
So if you are Alonso and you see HAM coming in hot (at a hell of a lot faster than 10kph by the way), you’d rather turn into him which would definitely put you out of the race and potentially cause injury to yourself rather than brush your teammate and likely break a front wing at worst.
Brilliant.
MichaelN
4th May 2024, 20:56
They did make contact before. The overhead shot is very good. Alonso could no longer tighten his line (if that was even possible given the speeds they were going) because Hamilton occupied that space. Or barged into it, if one is to take a less generous view. We’ll never know if the Aston Martins could have avoided bumping into Norris without Hamilton’s move, but they did tangle before Hamilton arrived at the scene because Stroll took an awful line into T1.
mystic one (@mysticus)
5th May 2024, 3:24
@MichaelN haha, noone is talking about the elephant in the room. stroll done what he knows best, doing all the weird impossible lines to shoot towards moon, and lucky he is, ending up in stars every time. but he is not spanish, so nothing to talk about there either :)
BLS (@brightlampshade)
4th May 2024, 19:47
Are youtube links allowed, lets find out.
The more you see it the less bad it actually seems. Although I’m sure plenty will disagree!
https://youtu.be/8Hxn1m-jdyk?si=V2KhWysBRRkPv5xr&t=46
Mog
4th May 2024, 19:51
My goodness, alonso is on the soapbox this weekend about penalties, specifically his own!!
stjs16 (@stjs16)
4th May 2024, 20:23
Just watched the start replay, why is the Aston on the outside turning in so much, that’s what caused them to collide.
Markos
4th May 2024, 20:34
Why? Because it was Stroll driving it.
Derek Edwards
4th May 2024, 20:39
I expect Alonso will avoid criticising Lance for driving into him because he is the son of his employer.
MichaelN
4th May 2024, 20:53
At what point is the FIA going to stop taking this slander? It’s twice a day now with this guy…
Jan
5th May 2024, 2:33
At the point, the FIA makes decisions that are correct, consistent and non biased.
David BR (@david-br)
4th May 2024, 21:14
Alonso suckling lemons again.
It was a gap, Hamilton went for it. Alonso decided to take out his team mate to make space. Norris and Stroll came out worse. It was a first corner racing incident. Fortunately the stewards were the adults in the room on this one.
Same goes for penalizing K-Mag for every single bad racing atrocity (and Hamilton for speeding in the pits). It was the highlight of the ‘sprint’ (realy?) ‘race’ (really). And eventually comical, like training a toddler to do something properly: nooo Kevin… you can’t just drive off the circuit to stay ahead; nooo Kevin…. you can’t just drive yourself and the other driver off track to stay ahead… But also annoying. Cynical driving by him, even if instructed by the team. A race ban would set a decent example.
mystic one (@mysticus)
5th May 2024, 3:28
10 sec drive through at the end of the lap or dsq in the next! and if he does one more in the next race, ban… he ll never attempt this rubbish again! he is a complete disgrace for the f1. i dont understand how he was allowed to race like he did today. first time he drove off ham, black/white, second dive send him off. simple! he is not really racing, he is there to create chaos and will end up causing some serious crash soon if he s not stopped