HAMILTON WANTS ALONSO ANSWERS
Showdown with FIA over crash
LEWIS HAMILTON used the regular pre-race drivers’ briefing to demand answers from Formula One’s governing body about the mysterious crash that caused Fernando Alonso to miss the opening Grand Prix in Australia.
The double world champion asked race director Charlie Whiting what the FIA’s investigation into the accident had revealed.
Observers said Hamilton repeatedly demanded more details in the meeting on Friday night, ahead of today’s Malaysian Grand Prix in which he will start from pole position in his Mercedes.
Alonso was silent as Hamilton spoke. Whiting, one of Formula One’s most experienced and respected officials, then took Hamilton aside to reassure him that the data showed no failing on the McLaren car Alonso was driving.
Hamilton said he would be ‘very interested to hear’ the FIA’s findings.
But the FIA have decided not to publish their investigation, although senior figures within the organisation have privately said that McLaren’s own 37-page explanation of the accident, which gave their car a clean bill of heath, was scrupulously accurate i n every detail.
McLaren’s position is irreconcilable with Alonso’s assertion last week that the accident was caused by his steering locking.
His maverick statement caused some tension in the team but both ‘sides’ now want to move on. McLaren told journalists at their postqualifying press conference not to ask about the incident, and Ron Dennis, the McLaren chairman, said deftly: ‘There is no problem between the team and Fernando. He gave his recollection of events, we provided our data relating to the accident and that’s the end of the story. Everything is fine.’ Amid wet conditions, Hamilton took pole again. He set the fastest time with his first lap of the final session. But, shock of shocks, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel will start in second place with Hamilton’s teammate, Nico Rosberg, only in third.
‘Yes, P2, great, Rosberg 50.2,’ chimed Vettel over the radio after beating his fellow German by three-tenths of a second in tough but fast-drying conditions.