Sports · Football · 23 mins ago
Alonso blames Albon collision for Aston Martin missing points at US Grand Prix
Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon collided on the first lap of the United States Grand Prix at turn 11.
Albon tried to pass Alonso on the inside, and both drivers said their cars were damaged.
Alonso finished 16th and said the damage left his Aston Martin much slower.
He said the contact cost him a chance to score points, and thought ninth or 10th place had been possible without it.
Alonso also called the quality of drivers in the bottom third of the grid very low, while Albon said he had tried to avoid the collision.
The stewards did not penalise Albon for the incident.
Aston Martin is trying to improve its car and start higher up the grid, while Williams is five points ahead in the fight for ninth in the constructors’ championship.
Fernando Alonso said a first-lap collision with Alex Albon cost Aston Martin a chance to score points at the United States Grand Prix.
The contact damaged Alonso’s car, which he said lost half its floor and at least half a second per lap.
Alonso finished 16th after starting 12th and called the race Aston Martin’s most competitive of the season.
He criticised the quality of drivers at the back of the grid, while Albon said he tried to avoid the contact and also damaged his car.
The stewards did not penalise Albon.
- Who
- Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and Alex Albon of Williams.
- What
- They collided on the first lap, damaging both cars. Alonso said the incident cost him a chance to score points.
- When
- During the first lap of the 2026 United States Grand Prix.
- Where
- Turn 1 in Austin, according to Speedcafe; RaceFans and The Race describe the contact as occurring at turn 11.
- Why
- Albon tried to pass Alonso on the inside while Esteban Ocon was on Alonso’s outside. The drivers gave differing accounts of how the contact happened.
Fernando Alonso
Alex Albon
Cause of contact
Fernando Alonso
Alonso said Albon made a move without accounting for the corner and had to turn left.
Alex Albon
Albon said he was on the inside, the cars pinched together, and he tried to get out of the way.
Impact on race
Fernando Alonso
Alonso said the damage ruined a strong race and cost Aston Martin a chance to score points.
Alex Albon
Albon said his car was also damaged and he drove with a broken front wing.
Albon tried to pass Alonso on the inside in Austin, and the cars made contact.
Alonso continued with significant damage to his Aston Martin; Albon said he drove with a damaged front wing.
Alonso blamed the collision for costing him a chance to score points and criticised the quality of drivers at the back of the grid.
Albon described the contact as an attempt to get out of the way and said his car was also damaged.
- Alonso’s starting position
- 12th
- Alonso’s finishing position
- 16th
- Damage described by Alonso
- Half of the floor was missing
- Performance loss estimated by Alonso
- At least half a second per lap
- Aston Martin’s constructors’ position
- 10th, on seven points
- Gap to Williams in the constructors’ standings
- Five points
4 sources
What people are saying
I think the quality of the drivers in the lower third of the grid is very low, as we saw today with Alex.
So I think we today we could have had maybe a P9, P10 on merit.
I was on the inside of Fernando, so then I think it pinched. And I tried to get out of the way and get on the curb, but I didn’t make good of it.
It's always fun to race Fernando