Martin Brundle gives firm verdict on Alonso/Hamilton spat at Spa

Martin Brundle has given his verdict on the spat between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The two great champions were wheel-to-wheel going into Les Combes on lap one of the race on Sunday at Spa but by the end of the first lap only one of them was still running, with Hamilton being launched up into the air after clashing wheels with Alonso and needing to retire very soon after.

As we watched the replays, F1 broadcast a radio message Alonso sent to his team, though perhaps meant for a wider audience, as he slammed Lewis for the mistake and implied that the Briton could only perform well in an F1 car when it was out in front and the best.

A bit of a low-blow from Fernando, who was clearly hugely frustrated with the incident, and Brundle has given his verdict on the comments in his regular post-race column for Sky Sports:

“Fernando’s radio comments, albeit fuelled by anger and adrenaline, about Lewis only being able to win from the front were in my opinion wholly inaccurate and unfair.

“Lewis is one of the fairest and cleanest drivers in the history of F1, he hasn’t needed to resort to too many professional fouls given his relentless speed, and just cast your mind back to Brazil last year to remember how he can scythe through the field. Twice.

“That error of judgement will have caught Lewis’s attention…”