Fernando Alonso admitted that he lost his cool two weeks ago in Singapore after collateral damage suffered at the chaotic start of the race force him into retirement.
The Spaniard enjoyed a remarkable launch off the grid at Marina Bay only to be punted off in spectacular fashion by an out of control Max Verstappen, himself hit by Kimi Raikkonen.
Alonso's frustrations turned into anger as made his way back to the paddock. Watching a replay of the incident in his private room, and contemplating what had been lost, he furiously punched a hole in the wall!
"Yes... it is still there! It was frustration," Alonso told reporters in Sepang.
"When I saw the replay, and when I saw Vettel spinning out of Turn 3, we were just behind Lewis, and we were on the right tyre at that moment.
"So we could even try to overtake him if the moment arrives. Then probably, we lose one or two positions, but not more because it is a street circuit, no one will overtake you.
"And that podium could have been one of the biggest things of my career and we missed it."
On the subject of his future, Alonso did not have anything new to report in Sepang. He did however say that he expected to arrive at a final decision on 2018 after the Japanese GP and before F1 reconvenes in Austin.
"In the next break will be good to make the final decision," he told Crash.net on Thursday.
"I think now between Malaysia and Japan we will be busy here working at the track but definitely after Japan that will probably be my wish," Alonso said.
"That will be the deadline let’s say to make it happen and choose whatever I feel is the best.
"I think I’ve repeated it many times, I want to be competitive next year, I want to be back on the podium, I want to be back winning, I want to be back fighting for the world championship.
"I still need some more information to make this decision but at the same time I remain optimistic because McLaren is one of the best or the best team in the history of Formula 1.
"So I think we have everything to make it happen."
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