Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, injected some lighthearted banter into the Formula 1 scene as he humorously commented on Fernando Alonso’s animated steering movements during a near-miss with Lewis Hamilton in the pit lane.
Wolff’s playful remarks came after the Aston Martin driver found himself released just behind his F1 rival following a rapid pit stop during the Canadian Grand Prix.
As the Canadian Grand Prix unfolded, Lewis Hamilton executed an impressive overtaking manoeuvre to pass Fernando Alonso early in the race. However, the proceedings took an unexpected turn when George Russell collided with the barrier, leading to the deployment of the safety car.
In a strategic move to capitalize on the reduced time deficit caused by the safety car period, both Hamilton and Alonso swiftly made their way into the pits for a fresh set of slick tires.
Aston Martin’s pit crew sprung into action, executing a lightning-fast pit stop, which saw Alonso rejoin the race just behind his fierce competitor.
Alonso executed a sudden manoeuvre within the pit lane, a calculated action that Wolff insinuated was intended to capture the stewards’ notice.
In a matter of seconds following the occurrence, the televised cameras swiftly shifted to Wolff’s presence within the Mercedes garage. Unbeknownst to him that he was being recorded, he was observed imitating Alonso’s embellished gestures on the steering wheel.
Following a thorough examination conducted by the stewards, it was determined that there was no instance of an unsafe release, resulting in the absence of any penalties being imposed. However, once the race concluded, the Mercedes chief was far from delighted by Alonso’s behaviour.
In a post-race interview, the Mercedes Team Principal remarked: “[It was] a bit of drama, shaking the steering a little bit and a little bit of touching of the brakes. He is good at that, the cries of ‘I nearly hit him’… a bit of drama.”
Following their impressive performances, harmony was restored between the two seasoned drivers. Alonso secured the runner-up position just behind Verstappen, while Hamilton claimed a respectable third place.
Seven-time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton was gushing with joy after the race, the Mercedes driver had managed to secure a back-to-back podium.
Thrilled with joy the British driver remarked: “It’s just a privilege to be up here fighting these two, who have done incredible in their careers. This is quite an iconic top three – I don’t know if there’s been a top three like this ever before, I don’t believe there has.
“I’m really hoping at some stage we have a more level playing field in our cars and then we’ll have much more exciting races in the future.
“I’m happy to be back in the mix, and I’m just hoping at some stage we can be a bit more level so we can get back to some of the good races we had back in 2021. To have all three of us in a super-tight battle would be sick.”
