Kevin Magnussen has hit out at Fernando Alonso after the pair’s clash during qualifying for Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix, claiming he can’t wait for the McLaren driver to retire.
Magnussen passed Alonso into Parabolica as the pair were preparing their final Q2 laps at Monza, and Alonso used the slipstream to draw level into the first chicane.
The pair ran side-by-side and both drifted wide through the second apex, wrecking their respective laps, and leaving Magnussen 11th, with Alonso 13th.
Stewards investigated the incident but deemed no further action was necessary.
Alonso commented that Magnussen’s move was “not very clever”, explaining: "You arrive into Turn 1 together and it was not a very clever move.
“For me it doesn’t change much because I probably couldn’t be in Q3 today anyway with the performance.
“For him he could be in Q3 and he decided in the last moment something that is maybe not very clever.”
In the aftermath Magnussen hit out at Alonso’s antics.
“Fernando was intentionally trying to be close at the exit of Parabolica and at the entry to Parabolica he was intentionally trying to be close in order to have a perfect slipstream and overtake into Turn 1,” said Magnussen.
“That’s just disrespectful. We were six or eight cars in a bit of a group. At the exit of Ascari Fernando was warming his brakes I think, so not going fast.
“I am going fast so I just cruised past him but then for some reason he decides to try and accelerate and get close to me rather than create a gap as everyone else is doing.
“Obviously he got a perfect slipstream and thought he could overtake into Turn 1 but I’d rather hang myself.”
Commenting further, Magnussen said: “He thought he could have the perfect slipstream and overtake me, and then gain I don’t know, many tenths, but you can [lose] a lot if you do that but I am not going to let him past and then sacrifice my own lap, no way. I know he thinks he’s God but no way.”
Magnussen also went on to criticise Alonso’s actions in the aftermath of the incident.
“He came to me after qualifying and laughed to my face,” he said. “Just outright disrespectful. I can’t wait for him to retire.
“I think we know that Fernando is a bit of an opportunist. We’ve seen that occurring quite a few times in his career with his teams as well trying different things, didn’t always work out. It didn’t work out today.”
