Vasseur takes aim at Alonso for near miss with Leclerc

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur believes Fernando Alonso was guilty of dangerous driving in the Qatar Grand Prix following a move that put Charles Leclerc at risk.

On lap 33 of the race, Alonso was running ahead of Leclerc when he ran wide at Lusail’s fast sweeping Turn 2.

Alonso was nevertheless able to join a portion of tarmac that leads back onto the track after Turn 3.

But he rejoined right in the path of the Ferrari, which led to dodgy situation for Leclerc who darted left to avoid the Aston Martin before passing the latter on the outside of Turn 4.

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Vasseur reckoned that had the roles been reversed, and Leclerc rejoined the track in such an aggressive manner, Alonso would have surely berated the Monegasque over the radio.

“If it was in the opposite I think that Fernando would have been more than vocal on the radio, that his life was ‘really on the edge’ and so and so,” commented Vasseur.

“I think it was far too much coming from nowhere and crossing the track at 90 degrees, but it’s not my decision.”

Leclerc was less critical than his team boss of Alonso’s move, but conceded that it was nevertheless “on the limit”.

“But on the other hand, he was so far off that I don’t think he saw me at any point,” added the Ferrari charger.

“Then coming back, it’s not the best way to rejoin the track, but at the same time I don’t think he was aware that I was there.”

At the end of the day, the stewards issued a mere reprimand for Alonso’s “unsafe maneuver”.

“I lost the car, it was my mistake,” commented the two-time world champion. “I was struggling a little bit with on-off grip in the car at the moment.

“So yeah it was my mistake, a costly mistake, maybe one or two places. So hopefully next time better.”

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