F1: Alonso blast at Hamilton

Feb 28 2008 Western Mail

FERNANDO ALONSO claims Lewis Hamilton has only himself to blame for the abuse he received at the Circuit de Catalunya earlier this month because he criticised the Spaniard.

Hamilton said in an interview last month that while the two were together at McLaren, Alonso had shown him “just how not to behave as a world champion”.

And the Spaniard believes those comments led to the abuse which upset the Briton and led to widespread condemnation from inside and outside the sport.

He said, “I didn’t take any notice when he said that, but the very next week they whistled him in Spain for saying that. That’s the other side of the situation.

“If you talk like that, it’s no wonder they jeer you.”

Alonso also claimed the reports of racism at the circuit had been exaggerated.

“If nobody knows exactly what they said to him, it is difficult,” said Alonso.

“I haven’t seen any of that on the television. If it happened, then it must be strongly condemned, but if it didn’t, then it is quite a nasty trick.

“A few of those and the FIA could leave Spain without any races... I won in Monza in 2007 and when I did my lap of honour, the people were making obscene gestures. That’s sport.”

Meanwhile, the Spaniard claimed his relationship with Hamilton has not changed.

“It’s the same as last year, non-existent,” he said.

Alonso also insisted he is happy with his Renault car despite their inability to compete with front-runners McLaren and Ferrari during testing in Barcelona this week.

Alonso, who returned to the French team in December following a controversial season with McLaren, was well off the pace in Tuesday’s testing finishing 13th out of 19 drivers.

Yet the Spaniard revealed he expected things to be difficult when he re-signed for the team with whom he won back-to-back world titles in 2005 and 2006.

When asked if he regretted the move to Renault, Alonso replied, “No, not at all.

“People started to raise the expectations too much, but I am where I was expecting to be and I have no regrets.”