Fernando Alonso has branded Lewis Hamilton an "idiot" after the pair were involved in a collision on the opening lap of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Hamilton began the race in the fourth, one spot behind Alonso, and the collision occurred after the seven-time world champion made an early move to overtake the Spaniard. However, Alonso's front wing ended up smashing into Hamilton's right tyre and his car lifted off the ground.
He was ultimately forced out of the race due to the resulting damage, while Alonso was able to continue racing. And following the incident, the Alpine man launched into an explosive rant against Hamilton on the team radio where he claimed the Brit "only knows how to drive and start in first."
"What an idiot!" Alonso blasted. "Closing the door from the outside. I mean, we had a mega start but this guy only knows how to drive and start in first."
The collision was investigated by the race stewards, but it was later confirmed that no action would be taken against Hamilton or Alonso. It is the latest setback for Hamilton in a season that has been a real struggle.
The 33-year-old is yet to win a single race and is languishing well behind defending champion Max Verstappen in the driver standings. During qualifying in Belgium, Mercedes struggled with a lack of pace that Hamilton called "a real kick in the teeth".
"Everyone is working for improvements," Hamilton said. "We came here very optimistic we could be close, but to be 1.8 seconds behind is a real kick in the teeth.
"It's a car we continue to struggle with and definitely won't miss it at the end of the year. For me, it's just focusing on how we build and design next year's car.
"The teams ahead of us are in another league and our car looked so much different today. We've got a lot of work to do, and we'll do the best we can with what we have for the rest of the season."
