Rivals reject Alonso's brutal 'low quality' F1 drivers claim

Fernando Alonso’s Formula 1 rivals have pushed back against the Spaniard’s claims that the quality of drivers in the lower third of the field is “very low”.

The Aston Martin driver spoke out after the United States Grand Prix following a first corner clash with Alex Albon that damaged his car and cost him the opportunity to take points.

Alonso's annoyance was still clear in the F1 paddock on Thursday in Mexico, as he doubled down on his remarks, but other drivers did not concur with his view that standards were lacking.

Albon himself, who was in Alonso’s crosshairs for the aggressive move that triggered their collision, saw nothing especially wrong with what he did nor felt that quality was missing.

“I thought it was a good battle,” Albon said of his fight with Alonso. “I thought we had a good scrap.

“Clearly he didn't think the same thing. But it was a race long battle. Even the incident in that point itself, I thought it was quite very 50/50 in terms of where the cars were on track.”

Asked about Alonso doubling down on his remarks that F1 had a problem with the approach of some drivers further down the order, Albon stood firm.

“I mean, I'll double down with what I said as well,” he said. “I have a huge respect for Fernando. I looked up to him a lot growing up as a kid, and obviously it's not nice to hear those comments in many ways. You're racing someone that you look up to.

“But at the same time, I don't agree. It's as simple as that. I think the level is strong up and down the grid.

“I think 10-15 years ago, the back half of the grid wasn't the way it is now. We don't have pay drivers anymore. So yeah, it is what it is. Hopefully, we don't cross corners or cross paths in the race this weekend.

What Alonso thinks now

Alonso was probed on his post-Austin remarks on Thursday as he emphasised that his comments about the lower third of the grid was not about singling out a specific number of drivers.

But he is adamant that there are drivers who he feels are not behaving at the level necessary in F1.

“I'm not specific on the number of them, but I think we all know which ones we talk about and which ones they felt hit by that comment,” he said. “So that tells you everything.

“So I still feel the same. It was a mistake that was not needed. What I still find difficult to understand is what was the opportunity that Alex saw in that moment.

“But it's not only Austin. I've been unfortunately in that part of the race for the whole season, so I see things from the car that I cannot help.”

Alonso accepted that racing with a less competitive car was more difficult than being at the front, but he felt that was not an excuse for poor driving.

 “They have less grip, so mistakes are coming more often because you don't have the environment that is under control,” he added. “The car is not welcoming you in a nice way. So you make more mistakes.

“But I don't feel that all the incidents in lap one, all the touches, all the front wings that fly around - all these kinds of things are not necessary.

“Especially if you are fighting for nothing at the back of the grid, and there is the cost cap, also adding to this problem. But you know, if their teams are happy with the cost cap on breaking things every race, it's OK for them.”

What others think

Albon wasn't the only driver who disagreed with Alonso’s assessment about the level of ability in the lower reaches of the current F1 grid.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc said that the level of drivers was “very high” even for those struggling to deliver good results.

Referencing Albon, Leclerc said that he was “exceptional” and that there were other drivers who “have been standing out throughout all the junior careers.”

He added: “I'm sure that the level of the grid is super, super high, whether it's in the back, in the middle, or in the front. The only thing that changes is obviously the race car that we are driving, but the standards are very high.”

Albon's Williams team-mate Carlos Sainz called Alonso's criticism "harsh" and said there were technical reasons behind the increased frequency of incidents in the lower reaches of the grid that have frustrated Alonso.

"In the back end of the grid, there's a lot more dirty air," Sainz explained. "There's a lot more concertina effect. There's more occasions of three or four wide into a corner where the chances of having an incident are a lot higher than what they are at the front of the grid.

"I've been on the grid 12 years and if there is one year that I think is the highest level of talent in the grid, I think it's this one. I cannot think of anyone that is not up to F1 standards.

"I'm not going to put myself in the shoes of Fernando. I can only tell you from my position [it] is a very frustrating position to be in. You need to think two years ago, I was winning here in Mexico to probably on Saturday I will be starting 17th on the grid, and I'm the same driver. If anything, I'm better than the one I was in 2024."

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who has experience of racing in the pack this year alongside some standout performances at the front of the midfield, also feels that things were much improved compared to a few years ago.

“You’ve gotta love Fernando for the statements he makes out there, and I have so much respect for the driver he is, and at the same time he's very vocal,” said Gasly.

“I haven't seen his race and I'm not too sure what he referred to, but I will say that the level on the grid is probably one of the highest, considering all the drivers we have now.

“From what I've seen, which is maybe like nine years, I've seen some wilder driving approaches when I joined compared to what I see now.”

Haas’s Ollie Bearman reckoned that things were only so fraught towards the back of the pack because it was so competitive and opportunities to do well could not be missed.

“I think that's a slightly harsh conclusion because I agree with Pierre that the level is very high on this current grid,” he said in reference to Alonso’s claims.

“I think with the gaps that we face this year, you have to be very opportunistic at times, and that can end in disaster, like it did for me last week with myself and Pierre.

“I wouldn't say it's a question of quality. It's a question of trying your very best and trying to make something happen, which is very challenging when the top eight positions are pretty much all filled by the top four teams.”

Sergio Perez reckoned that the racing was more frenetic in the group behind the leading pack purely because the cars were not as competitive.

“Of course, I think the level at the back is as high as in the front,” he said. “I think if we swap cars with the guys at the front, we will be having very similar results, or vice versa.

“This is the only issue with Formula 1. You are as good as your car and your team, so I think the level is really high. And when you look at the names that are at the back, it's really, really high.”