Fernando Alonso wanted to trap Lewis Hamilton with the DRS
Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton engaged in an exciting showdown, marked by a clever maneuver from the Spaniard. However, this trick didn't particularly please the six-time World Champion.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was not the most entertaining. Unlike the 2021 final, the race was not close, and although Mercedes was once again battling it out in Saudi Arabia, it was for second place in the constructor’s championship, this time against Ferrari. Apart from that, the circumstances were not conducive to a show.
However, during the race, the two Formula 1 veterans, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, delivered an impressive duel.
Alonso attempted a feint
Fernando Alonso’s cunning was once again on display on the 38th lap of the race. As he exited the pits just ahead of the six-time world champion, the Spaniard positioned himself on the right side of the track approaching the tight left hairpin of turn 5. At this moment, Fernando Alonso appeared to lift off the accelerator. Lewis Hamilton noticed this action on the radio, however, the stewards decided not to penalize this incident. Lewis Hamilton would eventually overtake him once he gained DRS.
Through this maneuver, Fernando Alonso hoped to be overtaken in order to finally benefit from the DRS. « Lewis is obviously very intelligent and understands the sport very well, and he has a lot of experience, but I have more », he declared in a press conference. « We did the same thing in Canada in 2012, so 11 years after that episode, we tried to give him the DRS by braking for turn 5, but in both cases, I won. »
Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin have suffered
Speed issues. That’s what Fernando Alonso felt during the race. These difficulties have accompanied Aston Martin throughout the season. The improvements did not convince, and the speed of the green car remained unchanged. « Around the 16th lap, we made the first pit stop and we knew that the race was long from that moment on », said Alonso. « In the end, the pace was only good enough for seventh or eighth place. The lap in qualifying was very good for the grid position, but the pace was a concern. That’s what we saw today. We were just good enough to beat AlphaTauri, and that’s not enough. »
Aston Martin finishes the season in 5th place in the constructor’s championship, with a total of 280 points. Fernando Alonso, who contributed greatly to the English team, finishes the season in 4th place in the driver’s ranking, having scored 206 points.
