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Fernando Alonso doubles down on poor F1 driving standards: "We all know who we're talking about"
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- Fernando Alonso doubles down on poor F1 driving standards: "We all know who we're talking about"
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After Fernando Alonso was hit by Alexander Albon on the opening lap of the US Grand Prix in Austin – which, according to Aston Martin's chief trackside officer Mike Krack, cost him a considerable amount of downforce – the two-time world champion was highly critical of the current driving standards in Formula 1.
"When you start at the back, there is always this risk. I think the quality of the drivers in the low third of the grid is very low, as we saw today with Alex. So I think we need to improve the car and start a little bit higher up", Alonso said in the media pen after Sunday's race at the Circuit of the Americas.
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Although that was understandably a comment made in the heat of the moment – especially as Aston Martin's pure pace was, which according to Alonso was good enough to challenge for points – he made it clear during the media day in Mexico City that he still fully stands by his words.
"I don't know if it's one third of the grid, because then I saw some reports trying to pick out eight drivers or seven drivers. I'm not specific on the number of them, but I think we all know which ones we talk about and which ones felt hit by that comment", he explained.
"That tells you everything, so I still feel the same. That was a mistake that was not needed and I still find it difficult to understand what the opportunity was that Alex saw in that moment.
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"But it's not only Austin. Unfortunately, I've been in that part of the race for the whole season, so I see things from the car that I cannot tell you."
Asked by Motorsport.com whether he had seen driving standards gradually deteriorate in F1, Alonso clarified: "No, I think it's the same over the years.
Alexander Albon, Williams, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Alexander Albon, Williams, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
"Obviously, when you are at the back of the grid, the cars are more difficult to drive. They have less grip and mistakes are coming more often because you don't have the environment that is under control. The car does not welcome you in a nice way, so you make more mistakes.
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"But I feel that all the incidents in lap one, all the touches, all the front wings that fly around, all these kind of things are not necessary. Especially if you are fighting for nothing at the back of the grid.
"There is the cost cap also adding to this problem, but if their teams are happy with the cost cap and breaking things every race, it's okay for them."
Those final words are particularly interesting given that Williams team principal James Vowles has repeatedly called for a rethink of the cost cap. With this comment, however, Alonso subtly makes it clear that avoiding damage might help his team as well, even without such a rethink.
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Alonso does not see the issue of driving standards as being so much about the stewards, who may not always be consistent, but rather about the teams and drivers themselves.
Read Also:
Fernando Alonso blasts driving standards of bottom half of F1 grid
James Vowles explains request for review of F1 cost cap
"No, I think the stewards, it's not their job unless there is something clearly unsafe. So it's not part of the stewards' job. It's just whatever ambition those drivers have, whatever they want for the future.
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"If they want to stay in Formula 1 for longer, if they want to have an opportunity to get into a bigger team, or if they are happy to crash."
Photos from Mexican GP - Thursday
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Allan McNish, Racing Director of Audi F1 Team with Alex Chan, Head of Race Engineering at Audi F1 Team
Allan McNish, Racing Director of Audi F1 Team with Alex Chan, Head of Race Engineering at Audi F1 Team
Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
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A detailed view of a skirt
A detailed view of a skirt
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Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Gabriele Mini, Alpine F1
Gabriele Mini, Alpine F1
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Alicia Torriani
Alicia Torriani
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac F1 Team and Cassidy Towriss
Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac F1 Team and Cassidy Towriss
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George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images
Nikola Tsolov, Racing Bulls
Nikola Tsolov, Racing Bulls
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
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A woman in traditional dress
A woman in traditional dress
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Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
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Frederik Vesti, Mercedes
Frederik Vesti, Mercedes
Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images
Like Crawford, Aston Martin F1 Team
Like Crawford, Aston Martin F1 Team
James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images
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A woman in traditional dress
A woman in traditional dress
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Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Frederik Vesti, Mercedes
Frederik Vesti, Mercedes
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
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Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Frederik Vesti, Mercedes
Frederik Vesti, Mercedes
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
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Like Crawford, Aston Martin F1
Like Crawford, Aston Martin F1
James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images
Esteban Gutierrez, Mercedes
Esteban Gutierrez, Mercedes
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Gabriele Mini, Alpine F1
Gabriele Mini, Alpine F1
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Gabriele Mini, Alpine F1
Gabriele Mini, Alpine F1
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Gabriele Mini, Alpine F1
Gabriele Mini, Alpine F1
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Manuel Eletto / Getty Images
Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team; Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team; Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images
An artist works on a mural
An artist works on a mural
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