Pastor Maldonado says "it would've been big news" if he had hit Fernando Alonso at the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Alonso squeezed Felipe Nasr slightly at the start of the race, leading to light contact which saw the McLaren driver out-brake himself in to Turn 1. With Maldonado on the outside of the corner, Alonso took out the Lotus, sending both cars sliding off track.
While Alonso was able to continue after pitting for a new front wing, Maldonado's race was over due to suspension damage and he questioned the reaction to the McLaren driver's error.
“It’s sad to end the race in the first corner because we were looking good for the race," Maldonado said. "We had a good strategy to go with our better race pace, but anyway this is racing and it can happen.
"I didn’t see the contact I just felt it in the back of the car from Fernando. I tried to restart but then I saw the suspension damage. Imagine if that incident had been the other way round, it would’ve been big news then!”
Alonso was given a drive-through penalty in the race for the incident, while also picking up two penalty points.
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AS IT HAPPENED: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
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