Fernando Alonso admitted he was looking forward to seeing the back of Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon following their clashes during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix sprint race.
The pair, who are looking to clinch fourth spot in the constructors’ championship ahead of McLaren, endured a disastrous race on Saturday, colliding twice on the opening laps.
First, Ocon aggressively defended position at turn four, forcing Alonso wide. Alonso then suffered front wing damage after making contact with the sister Alpine on the start-finish straight as he tried to make a pass.
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“I lost the front wing, thanks to our friend,” said the Spaniard sarcastically over the radio. But it was Alonso, not Ocon, who was penalised for the incident as he picked up a five-second penalty, dropping him down the field for the grand prix this evening. The pair will be in close company again as they will start 17th and 18th on the grid.
It was far from the first time that the pair have clashed this season. Speaking after the race, Alonso, who will join Aston Martin at the end of the season, said: “I have been very close to the wall this year on a few occasions – in Jeddah, and in Budapest I remember as well.”
However, in response to his obvious gripe with Ocon, many F1 fans have told Alonso to take responsibility for a change.
One posted on social media: “What planet is this man living on? Nothing is ever his fault and it’s always someone else’s. Can’t wait to see the back of him again.”
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(Image: Sky Sports F1)
Another said: “Sorry Alonso, that one’s on you, you can’t ghost through the car in front of you.”
A third added: “Funny how it’s ALWAYS someone else’s fault. Never Alonso. Don’t think I’ve ever heard him apologise or be humble.”
Another urged the 41-year-old to retire: “Can’t wait for Alonso to retire again. He’s living in a fantasy world thinking that he deserves the best drive and more world championships. It’s ridiculous.”
Many fans also pointed out that he may not get things his own way at Aston Martin either as that team is owned by Lawrence Stroll, the father of incumbent driver Lance.
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