Fernando Alonso during the United States Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures

Alonso sees the joke in disaster after sprint outing at US Grand Prix

22:13, 18 Oct

Updated: 22:42, 18 Oct

bySamson Ero

Fernando Alonso saw the funny side of his misfortune after recording a DNF in the Sprint race of the United States Grand Prix.

“Everything always happens to us. I'm laughing at it now.”

- Fernando Alonso

The Aston Martin driver, who spoke to the media following the abrupt end of his Sprint race, explained how he tried to avoid the chaos on the opening lap. The 44-year-old, in a light-hearted reaction, touched on his luck throughout the season so far.

“Everything always happens to us. I'm laughing at it now. I went on the inside, saw that I was touching a car, and we got a puncture. With three wheels, I couldn't go back.”

“You have to have a bit of luck, which, logically, starting sixth today, we knew we weren't going to have. It always happens to us when we start sixth and give away positions to the others.”

fernando-alonso-aston-martin-f1-us-gp-cota-4

Fernando Alonso suffered a DNF in the opening lap of the COTA Sprint - Photo: RacePictures.

“When we start 15th or 16th and have nothing to do in the race, it's not a problem. I'm used to it now, and you have to laugh it off.”

The United States Grand Prix Sprint witnessed Alonso’s race end at the first corner. The Aston Martin driver, who had qualified sixth, was involved in what turned out to be a spiralling collision that began after Nico Hulkenberg made contact with Oscar Piastri on the opening lap.

The veteran Spaniard was then hit by Hulkenberg’s Kick Sauber, which forced him into retirement at the Austin Sprint race.

Marko points to Alonso as culprit for COTA Sprint crash

Helmut Marko stated that Alonso appeared to be at fault for the opening-lap incident during the US Grand Prix Sprint. The Red Bull chief, who spoke to GPblog, highlighted how the Spaniard’s move on the first lap contributed to the domino effect of crashes that marked the Sprint.

The 82-year-old opted against blaming Piastri, stressing that the McLaren driver had little time to react to the several cars on the inside as he tried to avoid his teammate.

The opening lap of the Sprint at COTA saw Lando Norris, Piastri, and Alonso all retire following the incident. Alonso’s teammate, Lance Stroll, would subsequently join the list of retirements after a late incident with Esteban Ocon.

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