“Not my problem” if slow driving frustrated Hamilton - Alonso

The two-time world champion scored his best result of the season with a seventh-place finish in Monaco, one place ahead of Hamilton, who could not find a way past despite Alonso’s extremely slow pace after the restart following Mick Schumacher’s enormous crash that red-flagged the race.

Alpine stressed that Alonso did not have an issue with his car and the Spaniard later explained that he was simply saving tyre life because the team was unsure whether his medium tyres would last the final stint. 

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“I think we didn’t have the tyres or the tyre life to finish the race when it was 33 laps,” Alonso said.

“It’s a sprint race, we had two choices: refit the hard tyres from the beginning of the race, or put the medium tyre. We put the medium tyre, but our life estimation was shorter than 33.

“So we didn’t know if we could finish the race, so I managed a lot the tyres for 15 laps, and then I pushed for the remaining 15 when they told me that Esteban [Ocon] had the penalty.”

When it was put to him that his slow driving had frustrated Hamilton, Alonso responded: “Not my problem.”

Alonso, who endured a frosty relationship with Hamilton when they were teammates at McLaren in 2007, later quipped that it was “extremely easy” to keep the Mercedes behind.

Hamilton, meanwhile, insisted Alonso’s driving didn’t bother him. 

“It is what it is,” the seven-time world champion said. “I was just cruising behind him.”

When asked if his frustrating start to the season was beginning to get to him given his highly competitive nature, Hamilton replied: “What is the good in letting it eat away at me? 

“It is what it is and there is not much I can do about it, so I will be back at the factory and try again in the next race.” 

Hamilton's run-in with Alpine pair at F1 Monaco GP

Prior to his battle with Alonso, Hamilton had been squabbling with the other Alpine of Esteban Ocon. 

The pair engaged in a long tussle for position that resulted in contact at Sainte Devote when Hamilton tried to find a way past on Lap 18. 

Hamilton picked up damage after his front wing was hit by Ocon as he attempted to make a move on the Frenchman. 

Ocon was subsequently hit with a five-second time penalty that meant he finished outside of the points. He felt the punishment was unfair.

"I think we did everything right in general," Ocon said afterwards. 

"We were racing well until we got that five-second time penalty which, you know, is not really justified unfortunately. I am very frustrated with that because it ruined our result of today's race, but that is how it is.

"We went to a review with the stewards and they said if it had been last year it would have been a racing incident, so I don't know really what has changed this year.

"If you want to overtake in Monaco there has to be some sort of contact because there is no space to do so. 

"Lewis was quicker behind with the other tyres and we were racing hard for sure, but we were racing for position, and we were racing at the end again.

"It was fair racing, a bit of contact for sure, but we didn't suffer so it is very disappointing and I am pretty frustrated."

Hamilton added: "Honestly I didn't find it frustrating, it is what you expect here in Monaco. I knew when I qualified behind one of them it was going to be something like that.

"I was hoping the rain was going to open up some more opportunities but it didn’t. You live, you learn and you move on."