Fernando Alonso launched a scathing attack on Alex Albon's driving standards following their on-track contact during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas. The double world champion was left far from impressed after the Williams driver collided with him on Lap 1, leaving the Aston Martin driver to deal with severe floor damage that ruined his race.
Alonso started the race from 13th place following a raft of penalties after qualifying, putting him right into the thick of the midfield traffic. As the field swept through the early corners at COTA, the contact with Albon heavily compromised the AMR26 charger. Surprisingly, the stewards did not deem the incident worthy of any formal investigation, allowing both competitors to continue their respective afternoon without receiving penalties.
However, the pace of the Spanish driver dramatically plummeted as a direct consequence of the heavy floor damage. Speaking to reporters in Austin after Sunday's race, including Motorsport Week, Alonso detailed the extent of the wreckage discovered once the car returned to the pit lane. He estimated a massive loss in lap time that completely dashed any hopes of fighting for championship points.
"The car is destroyed. I saw it in parc ferme. Half of the floor is not there," Alonso told media representatives. He emphasized that points were a strong possibility given how competitive they remained despite driving with half a car, noting they could have closed the gap to Williams in the constructors' standings if not for the clash.
Voicing his broader frustrations about traffic management, Alonso added: "I think when you start at the back, there is this risk always. I think the quality of the drivers in the lower third of the grid is very low, as we saw today with Alex. I think we need to improve the car and start a little bit higher up." Meanwhile, Albon quickly dismissed the heavy criticism, maintaining that racing the veteran driver remains an enjoyable and hard-fought experience despite acknowledging the damage sustained to his own front wing.
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