F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Alonso dumbstruck by Hulkenberg braking blunder

Fernando Alonso lost no time putting the blame of the carnage that occurred at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix on Renault's Nico Hulkenberg.

The Spaniard shook his head in disbelief as he his extracted himself from the remains of his badly damaged McLaren, with Sauber's Charles Leclerc also a victim of Hulkenberg's massive blunder.

On-board footage showed the German, who started at the back of the grid, completely misjudging his braking as the filed barreled towards La Source.

The Renault ploughed into the back of Alonso's McLaren, itself launched over the back of Leclerc's Sauber.

"Again a very big-time missing braking point," Alonso told the BBC referring to the last time his was involved in a first lap crash at La Source, which was in 2012.

"That time I think Romain [Grosjean] had a race ban. This time we’ll see.

"But it’s tough to understand how you can miss so much. It’s not a couple of metres you arrive at a speed which is impossible to negotiate the corner, so said for that but happy we are all fine."

Indeed, everyone emerged unscathed from the three-car pile-up that offered another opportunity to showcase the strength and usefulness of the halo safety device.

"Luckily the positive side is that we all three OK. Especially Charles, I flew over his car, the Halo was a very good thing to have today.

"I think for him it helped, looking at the replay. And yeah for me in that case in 2012 I was definitely happier if I had the Halo. We don’t need to prove it’s a good thing to has."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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