In the climactic season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso secured a respectable seventh-place finish, marking an end to the season for the driver as he clinched fourth place in the drivers’ championship. 

However, Alonso’s race wasn’t without its share of controversy, drawing attention from the stewards due to an incident following his second pitstop. Follow your favourite F1 team with attractive F1 betting odds from Nextbet. 

During the crucial moment as Alonso re-entered the circuit, his maneuver appeared to surprise Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes. Hamilton alleged that Alonso brake-tested him, raising concerns over erratic driving. Despite Hamilton’s claims, the stewards opted against penalizing Alonso after evaluating the situation.

Hamilton managed to pass Alonso using DRS, but the Spaniard quickly regained the position and ultimately finished two spots ahead of Hamilton, who failed to execute a final lap move on Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri.

After the race, Alonso shed light on the incident, stating that his intention was to allow Hamilton through to benefit from DRS on the straight stretch towards Turn 6.

Responding to Hamilton’s allegation, Alonso, expressing his experience and tactics, remarked, “Lewis is obviously very clever and understands the sport really good and has a lot of experience but I have more.”

When questioned about his reaction to Hamilton’s accusation, Alonso revealed, “Yes and no. We did the same in Canada in 2012, so 11 years after that episode, we tried to give the DRS to the other guy, braking for Turn 5, but in both cases, I won so it is okay.”

Reflecting on Aston Martin’s performance, Alonso highlighted the team’s need for increased pace, especially in overtaking situations. He noted the team’s struggle with straight-line speed throughout the season, compounded by unexpected higher tyre wear during the race.

Alonso emphasized, “At the end, the pace was only good for seventh or eighth. We were just enough to beat AlphaTauri but that is not enough.”

The Yas Marina finale also saw Lance Stroll securing a point for Aston Martin, contributing to the team’s fifth-place finish in the constructors’ table, concluding a season of ups and downs for the squad. Get the latest update from the world of F1 only on Nextbet Sports.