Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso slammed for ‘dangerous’ and ‘personal’ antics

Mark Webber acknowledged that Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton “have a lot of history” and felt their DRS antics in Abu Dhabi were close to getting “embarrassing”. 

Alonso and Hamilton have built a storied rivalry across their respective careers in Formula 1, dating back to 2007 when they were McLaren team-mates in Hamilton’s rookie season.

Now the veteran duo of the Formula 1 grid, a great deal of mutual respect exists between the multi-time World Champions, but the flashpoints on track continue to occur, the latest coming at the 2023 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso DRS games “dangerous”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

As Alonso emerged from the pit lane just ahead of Hamilton, Alonso lifted off the throttle and at one stage moved right over to the wall on the approach to Turn 5, Hamilton accusing the Aston Martin driver of “brake testing” him.

The stewards did take a quick look at the incident, but decided that no further action was needed.

The exchange was all about the approaching DRS activation line, neither driver wanting to be vulnerable to the overtaking aid down the two back straights which followed.

Former Red Bull driver Webber though felt it amounted to dangerous driving.

“This is a bit personal,” said Webber as he analysed the incident during Channel 4’s Abu Dhabi GP coverage. “We know that these two have a lot of history.

“Down to the DRS, so they’re basically playing, Fernando was trying to manipulate the DRS point, obviously they’re into the activation onto this long back straight.

“And when we go onboard, watch Fernando in the mirror, he’s looking, he’s looking, so long, he’s actually off the track, he’s lifting.

“That could have got quite embarrassing, but also, [it was] a bit dangerous.”

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Alonso offered something of a cheeky response when Hamilton’s brake test claim was brought up after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Asked by PlanetF1.com for his response to Hamilton’s accusation, Alonso said with a smile: “Nothing.

“Lewis obviously is very clever, understands the sport really, really good and has a lot of experience, but I have more.”

And when pressed on whether he was surprised to hear Hamilton’s complaints over team radio, Alonso replied: “Yes and no.

“I mean, we did the same in Canada I think in 2012 so, 11 years after that episode, we tried just to give the DRS to the other guy braking for Turn 5.

“But yeah, in both cases I won, so it’s okay!”

Alonso finished the race P7 and Hamilton P9, though it was Hamilton who won out in the final Drivers’ Championship classification, finishing P3 and 28 points ahead of Alonso.

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