Dutch GP: Fernando Alonso apologises for 'idiot' Lewis Hamilton comments

Fernando Alonso has used his media duties at the Dutch Grand Prix to apologise for his comments over the radio towards Lewis Hamilton at Spa, where he labelled the British driver an ‘idiot.’

The Alpine ace finished a strong P5 last weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix but it was an event not without incident for the Spaniard, with him banging wheels with Hamilton on lap one.

Indeed, the collision launched the Merc man into the air and back down again with a bump, causing damage big enough to see him retire a few corners later, whilst Fernando was lambasting Hamilton over the radio, labelling him an ‘idiot’ and saying he could only race when in first place.

Of course, that caused quite the storm as soon as it was aired but Fernando has since tried to make amends, and sought to further extinguish the flames on Thursday here at Zandvoort.

“It [has] been made a huge thing,” Alonso said.

“First of all it is Lewis. He is a champion, a legend of our time. And then when you say something – and I am sorry to repeat this – against a British driver… there is a huge media involvement after that.

“They have been saying a lot of things to Checo [Sergio Perez], to Carlos [Sainz], to me – if you say something to a Latin driver, everything is a bit more fun. If you say it to Lewis it is a bit more serious.

“When you say something on the radio, in that moment you think you are talking with your engineer. Obviously, you should be aware that it is broadcasted. But it is like if someone makes a hard tackle or something in football. In that moment you say something to your team-mate or defender that is not broadcasted.

“Our media time is before and after the race, I said what I was thinking. On the radio, it was something… I don’t think that