Alonso scolds about “idiots”
Hamilton doesn’t go to the doctor and gets in trouble
08/28/2022, 7:15 p.m
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso collide on the first lap of the Belgian Grand Prix. The Spaniard drives on, the F1 record world champion parks the car. Because of the severity of the collision, he should then go to the route doctor, but initially does not go – and is warned.
Although Lewis Hamilton remains unpunished, the world motorsport association uses the case of the Formula 1 superstar to attract attention. Because the Mercedes driver did not appear at the hospital on the track as required after his departure and failure in the first lap of the Belgian Grand Prix, he was officially warned. “It’s not the first time this season,” writes the FIA in its justification, “that drivers initially refuse the medical check.” Hamilton is explicitly excluded from this, but it goes on to say that his warning serves “as a reminder to all pilots that stricter measures can be taken in the future”.
At the end of the Kemmel straight, after the legendary combination of Eau Rouge and Raidillon, Hamilton had tried to pass Fernando Alonso on the outside. The Spaniard tried to stay inside the Alpine and leave enough space – but when Hamilton relented, the two collided with serious consequences. Hamilton’s right rear wheel hit Alonso’s left front tire. The Mercedes was levered out, lifted off briefly and hit the ground again violently. The damage to the Silver Arrow was so severe that Hamilton was asked on the radio to park the car immediately before reaching the pit lane. Alonso, on the other hand, was able to finish the Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps regularly.
“I did not see him”
According to the FIA report, the “Medical Warning Light threshold” was exceeded in this accident in the Les Combes curves, i.e. a limit value. Freely translated, the sensors of the Mercedes reported a risk of injury for Hamilton, which had been caused by the forces generated in the collision. In order to rule out a health hazard, a medical check-up is required in this case. Hamilton, however, only underwent this after his Mercedes racing team was informed that failure to attend would result in a penalty.
“The race stewards are therefore issuing a warning,” the document on the decision continues, but this has no consequences for the 37-year-old. Only in the event of several warnings could a fine be imposed on the seven-time world champion, who could remain without a win for the first time in his 16th Formula 1 season and only has theoretical chances of winning his eighth title. Hamilton himself said after his third failure in the past five years that he took responsibility: “He was in my blind spot, I didn’t see him, I’m so sorry for the team.”
Alonso was significantly less forgiving immediately after the collision. “What an idiot,” the 41-year-old cursed on the radio: “We had an outstanding start, but this guy only knows how to drive when he starts from first place.” After years of dominance, Hamilton lost the World Championship fight against Max Verstappen last year, and this year Mercedes is struggling to catch up with Red Bull. Hamilton took the words of his former teammate – they drove together at McLaren in 2007 – calmly. “I don’t care what he says.”