Alonso blasts Hamilton "an idiot" after opening-lap crash
Duo collided into Les Combes
Fernando Alonso branded Lewis Hamilton "an idiot" following their first-lap shunt that sent the seven-time champion out of the Belgian Grand Prix.
From the start at Spa-Francorchamps, Mercedes driver Hamilton attacked Alpine's Alonso down the Kemmel Straight.
Turning into the right-handed Les Combes, from around the outside, Hamilton managed to get half a car in front of Alonso as he turned across his former McLaren team-mate.
It resulted in the front-left of Alonso's A522 colliding with the right-rear of Hamilton's W13, sending the latter into the air.
Hamilton managed to land, control his car and continued for half a lap before being told to stop the car with smoke starting to emerge from the rear.
On the radio shortly after, an angry Alonso said: "What an idiot!
"Closing the door from the outside. We had a mega start but this guy only knows how to drive and start in first."
Despite a stewards' investigation, surprisingly they took no further action.
On the following lap, Williams' Nicholas Latifi caught the gravel emerging out of the Les Combes chicane, sending him across the track into oncoming traffic.
Despite Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas trying to take avoiding action, the Finn was unfortunately tagged by Latifi.
That sent him into a spin, beaching his car in a gravel trap on the opposite side of the circuit.
With Hamilton's car also stranded off track, race control summoned a safety car to clear the stricken Mercedes and Alfa Romeo.
Related
More F1 news
Latest F1 news
Recommended by the editors
F1 News Today
F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton handed FIA penalty verdict after Ferrari mistake, major U-turn confirmed
Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton claims going against Ferrari has helped him 'massively'
Belgian Grand Prix
FIA announce Lewis Hamilton penalty verdict at Belgian Grand Prix
Mercedes
George Russell uses 'Mona Lisa' to explain Mercedes F1 struggles
Races
-
Grand Prix of Australia 2026
-
Grand Prix of China 2026
-
Grand Prix of Japan 2026
-
Grand Prix of Bahrain 2026
-
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2026
-
Miami Grand Prix 2026
-
Grand Prix du Canada 2026
-
Grand Prix De Monaco 2026
-
Gran Premio de Barcelona-Catalunya 2026
-
Grand Prix of Austria 2026
-
Grand Prix of Great Britain 2026
-
Grand Prix of Belgium 2026
-
Grand Prix of Hungary 2026
-
Dutch Grand Prix 2026
-
Grand Prix of Italy 2026
-
Gran Premio de España 2026
-
Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2026
-
Grand Prix of Singapore 2026
-
Grand Prix of the United States 2026
-
Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2026
-
Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2026
-
Las Vegas Grand Prix 2026
-
Qatar Grand Prix 2026
-
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2026
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Editorial & corporate information
Avenue HQ
10–12 East Parade
Leeds
LS1 2BH
United Kingdom Regional correspondence
View contact page