Alonso blasts bottom-third grid quality after Albon collision

Fernando Alonso did not hold back after a turbulent United States Grand Prix, taking direct aim at Alex Albon following a first-lap collision at turn 11. The two-time world champion claimed that the incident stripped the left-hand bargeboard from his Aston Martin and saddled him with heavy damage that persisted for the duration of the afternoon. Alonso argued that the resulting performance loss cost him half a second per lap and completely derailed what he considered his most competitive outing of the campaign.

The clash occurred when Albon lunged down the inside at turn 11 while Esteban Ocon raced on the outside of the Aston Martin. Albon acknowledged that he caught his Williams front wing in the scuffle and attempted to duck onto the kerb to avoid disaster, admitting he ended up driving around with a broken component for the remainder of the race. The stewards reviewed the opening-lap squabble but ultimately chose to hand out no penalties.

That lack of official action did little to soothe Alonso, who used his post-race media sessions to cast a wider net of criticism over the field. The veteran Spaniard asserted that starting towards the back always carries an inherent danger because the standard of competition in the lower third of the grid is very low. Alonso remarked that Albon seemed to forget that the corner required a left turn and suggested that the incident proved why his team needs to find more raw pace in qualifying.

Despite losing half his aerodynamic package and being left with what he described as half a car, Alonso maintained that his race pace remained surprisingly resilient. He calculated that merit-based points were well within reach had the opening lap unfolded cleanly, estimating a finish as high as ninth or tenth place. Instead, a slow second pit stop to finally swap out his battered front wing cemented a disappointing 16th-place finish, four spots lower than his starting grid position.

Alonso also tied the collision directly into the ongoing constructors championship battle between Aston Martin and Williams. Noting that Williams currently holds a cushion in ninth place in the standings, the veteran quipped that his rival ensured Aston Martin had no chance to claw back points on Sunday. He expressed frustration that a strong car with solid tyre management was denied a representative result through early-race contact.

Albon offered a lighter perspective on their repeated on-track duels once the dust had settled in Austin. Comparing their battles to historic racing categories where vastly different machines scrap for tarmac, the Williams driver insisted he always enjoys racing against Alonso. Albon described the Spaniard as strong and fair, though he acknowledged that he would likely check in to see why his opponent felt the move crossed the line.

Back to all Formula 1 news