Alonso called Hamilton an “idiot” and said that he only knew how to win races when starting first.
Hamilton later took responsibility for the clash, but he escaped any sanction as the FIA stewards took into account that it was the first lap.
Hamilton retired from the race and may suffer further consequences if he can no longer use the V6 engine that was in the car.
Alonso said ahead of the Dutch GP that he made the comments in the heat of the moment, and they don’t reflect his true thoughts on his former McLaren team-mate.
“First of all, Lewis is a champion, he’s a legend of our time,” said Alonso when asked by Autosport if he regretted his comments.
“And then when you say something – and I’m sorry to repeat this – against a British driver, there is huge media involvement after that. They’ve been saying a lot of things to Checo [Perez], to Carlos [Sainz], to me.
“If you say something to a Latin driver, everything’s a little bit more fun. When you say something to others, it’s a little bit more serious.
“But anyway yes, I apologise. I was not thinking what I said.
“I don’t think that there was much to blame in that moment, to be honest, looking at the replays and everything, because it’s a first-lap incident, we are all very close together.”
He also insisted that he doesn’t stand by what he said about Hamilton only winning from the front.
“No, no, no, I don’t believe [that]. I mean, it’s not that I believe or don’t believe, there are facts that it is not that way. So it’s something that you say in the heat of the moment. But as I said, nothing that I said is true, or there are facts that are completely the opposite. So I have huge respect.”
Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, make contact on the opening lap
Photo by: Motorsport Images
Alonso said he hadn’t had time to apologise directly to Hamilton, but he hoped to do it on Thursday in Zandvoort.
“I will hopefully when we are doing the TV pen I will approach him and say sorry if he understood in that way. I have absolutely no problems with him. And as I said, I have huge respect for him.”
Alonso admitted that drivers sometimes say things on team radio that they don’t have time to think through.
“The heat of the moment and the adrenaline of the moment, fighting for finally top two, top three, made me say those comments that I should not say,” he added.
“But at the same time, as I said also after the race, I said that it was a race incident in my opinion.
“When you say…
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