After a controversial crash ended his grand prix on Sunday, Fernando Alonso appealed to race stewards to ban Ralf Schumacher – who responded by saying the Spaniard needed to “calm down”.
After a controversial incident in the tunnel ended his grand prix on Sunday, Renault’s Fernando Alonso appealed to race stewards to ban Ralf Schumacher – who responded by saying Alonso needed to “calm down”.
While running second to team-mate Jarno Trulli, Alonso was held up by Schumacher who was running a lap down with gearbox problems.
Alonso explained: “After eight corners with blue flags, Ralf obviously had some problems seeing the colour, I went into the tunnel and he moved to the right and slowed down.
“I tried to overtake him and when we were side-by-side he went back on the throttle again and pushed me into the barrier. I think I am right to be very angry. I hope they investigate the accident and that they take his licence away for three or four races.
“To race with people like this is always difficult,” Alonso lamented. “It happened with Takuma [Sato] and Ralf in Bahrain, it happened with me and Ralf in Imola and now it happens here again. We risk our lives on circuits like this and it is difficult to race with people like Ralf. As I’ve said, it’s not the first time with him and it won’t be the last…”
Ralf Schumacher said his Williams was experiencing gearbox problems and denied deliberately holding the Spaniard up.
“Mirabeau and Loews are a bit tight and I wasn’t in his way anyway. I just wanted to let him by in the tunnel. I just went to the side, went off the throttle and waited for him to pass me. Anyone who looks at the video will see that I went to the inside and stayed there,” the often outspoken Schumacher said.
“I don’t see how I pushed him anywhere. He was going pretty fast and was pretty far to the outside, so I don’t know what he’s complaining about. He should just calm down. If he took more care then he wouldn’t end up in the barrier.
“He was just too late when he decided to pass me. I don’t know what he did and I don’t know what he was thinking, honestly. Obviously he is frustrated and tries to blame someone instead of admitting to himself that it is his fault”