Alonso talks about incident with Coulthard!

By role
July 2 2003

Four laps before the end of the race and David Coulthard was all over the back of Alonso as both drivers were fighting for 4th position. Then suddenly the camara on board Coulthard's car showed how he had to take evasive action in order not to hit Alonso from behind.

The evasive action ended the Scot's race and he was left in anger at what he thought was being brake-tested by the young pilot.

Was Alonso brake-testing Coulthard? Was Coulthard braking too late before the chicane?

David Coulthard was quite upset at the end of the race:

"I'd be disappointed to think it was anything deliberate," Coulthard declared. "It's not like I just locked up and decided to turn right off the circuit to avoid hitting him. I never even braked before I nearly hit him and had to swerve off the circuit - and we know from my data that that was ten metres earlier than it was on the lap before.

"You just have to trust the guys you are racing with - I have no reason not to trust Fernando. I don't want just to be negative and create a scandal, but I was very shocked to see how early he braked for that corner. That is a very difficult thing to deal with.

"He still gets the points and I am the silly one because I have gone off the circuit, but putting all that to one side I would rather have a go and cock it up and end up in the gravel knowing I was trying to get by him."

Alonso did not see it the same way and was quickly to say after the race:

"The stewards wanted to know what happened, I told them I was having a few problems and slowed down a bit earlier on that lap. But there were no serious problems with the tyres or the car. David got a bit too close to me I think." He said.

The FIA called it a racing incident an that seemed to be the end of the argument. However, the argument has continued for the many fans of the sport through Bulletin Boards.

Alonso was asked about the incident after the race by Autorport Online:

"I don't know (what happened). In the mirrors it's difficult to see what is happening. But we were very close, we were fighting for position, and at the end I think he braked a little bit late for the chicane and went off. Anyway, we put a lot of effort, David and me, and I think the people enjoyed this race." He said.

Alonso denies any responsability on the incident:

"At the end I had no tyres, especially the rear, and I had big problems. So I defended my position as far as I could, even with Michael at the end the last corner was really tight. At the end I finished fourth, and that's the important thing."