Damon Hill told the F1 Nation podcast that Fernando Alonso used his "old tricks" in qualifying in Baku, but acknowledged that the Spaniard is looking to give his all to Alpine
Fernando Alonso may have escaped punishment for hindering Alexander Albon's lap in qualifying at Baku, but his claim of a mistake didn't convince everyone, including Damon Hill. The 1996 F1 champion even said that what was seen at the Azeri circuit was one of the Alpine Spaniard's "old tricks".
Last Saturday, in the session that determined the grid for the Azerbaijan GP, Albon was on a fast lap, fighting to get to Q2. However, halfway through, he was forced to brake abruptly to avoid hitting Alonso, who was slowing down and caught the escape area. The Williams driver shouted over the radio, accusing the two-time champion of making a mistake on purpose and demanding punishment.
Alonso defended himself, saying that Q1 in Baku was chaotic, but Hill believes he knew exactly what he was doing when he went off track. "I like him, he's very astute," the former F1 driver told the F1 Nation podcast, "Alex Albon called him 'an incredibly smart guy' because he was ready to play in qualifying," he pointed out.
"He really lived up to his old tricks, but you can't help but have a hidden admiration for the trickster. That guy who is somehow able to play everything to his own advantage and does it with a cheeky little smile too," he added
Despite the somewhat controversial opinion about Alonso's style, Hill acknowledged that the Spaniard is the kind of driver who should not be dismissed. "He performs, it's not like he's bothering and not delivering [results]. He delivers for Alpine, and I'd rather have him in the team than out and him doing the same against me," he admitted.
Alonso has been one of the characters this season, but his future at Alpine for next year is still uncertain. The two-time champion has even admitted that he would have no problem being second driver in a top team, if it meant continuing to chase the dream of a triple crown in F1. Hill believes that this line of thinking shows how motivated Alonso is, but that alone is not enough.
"Exhaustion doesn't seem to have set in on him, no? Neither does the lack of enthusiasm. If you tell him now that there would be one more chance to be in the top teams, he would go there and probably win. The question, however, is how long would he stay there? And how much carnage would there be, since he is usually involved in the administration and politics of the company?" he inquired.
"He definitely crossed the mark when he was first at McLaren and also at Ferrari," Hill concluded.