F1 News: Fernando Alonso Livid Over Lewis Hamilton Move During Sprint Race - 'He's Not Spanish'

Alex Harrington | May 4, 2024

May 3, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (44) races out of turn 17 / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

During the Miami Sprint Race this wekend, Fernando Alonso expressed strong dissatisfaction with Lewis Hamilton's driving, hinting at preferential treatment in penalty decisions from the stewards.

The Spaniard has hinted at controversy under the sun of Miami between him and Lewis Hamilton. The two veteran drivers found themselves at the center of a contentious incident that has sparked debates across the motorsport community.

On lap 1, in the hectic scramble for position in Turn 1, Alonso accused Hamilton of losing control while making an aggressive move on the inside of the corner. The moment led to a collision that implicated not only Alonso and Hamilton but also Lando Norris and Lance Stroll, with the latter two retiring early due to damage. Though the stewards deployed the safety car, they later ruled the incident as a typical race-start accident, opting against further action.

Alonso, known for his forthright opinions, did not mince words when discussing the incident.

"I think he (Hamilton) came to the inside a bit out of control. So, yeah, let's see. If they decide anything, probably they don't. He's not Spanish, so probably no penalty," Alonso stated to ViaPlay, airing his frustration with what he perceived as inconsistent penalty decisions, pointing towards a racially-fuelled result.

Furthermore, Alonso criticized the sprint race format, questioning its overall value to the championship.

"As I said, there is only to lose, nothing to gain. For us, it's more a free practice, so we wanted not to take any risk and just complete the race, both cars out in the first corner. This is the sprint race. It's completely meaningless and only good for damage, penalties, and no action," he expressed.

This incident wasn't Alonso's first brush with drama this season. At the Chinese Grand Prix earlier in the year, a maneuver involving Carlos Sainz saw Alonso receiving a 10-second penalty and three penalty points after stewards deemed his move overly aggressive. Aston Martin's appeal, claiming new evidence, failed to overturn the decision. Reflecting on his penalty, Alonso described the intense wheel-to-wheel battle:

"It was tough racing with a couple of corners parallel to each other, wheel-to-wheel battle, at the end someone has to give up. I gave up at Turn 8, the racing line, to avoid contact and he didn't give up in Turn 9 and we didn't avoid the contact."

The response from the F1 community has been mixed. While some applaud Alonso's candor, others believe his comments could stir unnecessary tension. Martin Brundle, a seasoned Sky Sports F1 commentator, remarked on a separate incident involving Stroll and Hamilton, suggesting, "I think there were two out of control cars there - Stroll and Hamilton."