Fernando Alonso explained the situation involving Liam Lawson during qualifying in Austin, addressing the tension between them that stemmed from the previous day’s Sprint race. Alonso had called Lawson “such an idiot” over the team radio for his defensive driving during their battle for 16th position in the Sprint, and the two drivers later discussed the incident in parc fermé. During Q1 of the main event, Alonso was seen cutting in front of Lawson after exiting the pit lane, which raised eyebrows and reignited the rivalry between the two.
Lawson believed Alonso’s move in qualifying was no coincidence, recalling that Alonso had said he would “screw” him after their heated exchange in the Sprint. Lawson felt that Alonso’s anger was misplaced given that their battle had been for a lowly position and didn’t affect the race outcome significantly. After the qualifying session, Lawson shared with the media that he didn’t fully understand why Alonso was so upset, but he hoped Alonso would eventually let the issue go. He also noted that if he had broken any rules during their Sprint duel, he would have been penalized.
Alonso, however, clarified that his move in qualifying wasn’t a direct response to Lawson’s earlier defensive tactics. He stated that he was on a set of scrubbed tyres and needed to set a lap time quickly, which is why he didn’t want to lose more time behind Lawson. Alonso believed the situation wasn’t a big deal and didn’t significantly affect Lawson. He acknowledged that Lawson had defended hard during the Sprint for positions that didn’t matter much, but Alonso suggested such aggressive fighting wasn’t necessary.
When asked about Lawson’s comment that Alonso intended to “screw” him, Alonso denied any deliberate attempt to disrupt Lawson’s qualifying session. He remarked that drivers have different approaches on track, and while he didn’t think Lawson’s defense was necessary, he wasn’t overly concerned. Alonso noted that with a long season, such conflicts are inevitable, and he was willing to move past it, suggesting that these incidents are part of the journey in Formula 1.
Finally, Alonso gave further insight into what he found problematic about Lawson’s driving during the Sprint, pointing out a particularly dangerous moment on the straight where they nearly collided at high speed. This reminded him of a previous incident he had with his teammate Lance Stroll. Alonso also mentioned that Lawson had pushed him close to the track limits at certain corners but reiterated that he didn’t want to blow the situation out of proportion. He appeared ready to put the incident behind him and focus on the remaining races of the season.