McLaren's Fernando Alonso has criticised “amateur” drivers who “play bowling” at the start of Formula 1 Grands Prix.
Alonso was involved in a first lap clash with Williams’ Lance Stroll for the second successive race, as the pair came to blows into Turn 3 at the United States Grand Prix.
Alonso was forced to retire due to the damage sustained while Stroll was deemed culpable and handed a drive-through penalty.
“The level seems lower than ever,” said Alonso on the Formula 1 grid.
“In Spa they played bowling with us into the first corner. Here they play bowling again into Turn 3. It is a misjudging of distances and speed, which is quite strange to see.
“One, two, three cars try to overtake, it is always the same.
“The starts, people are trying to bump everyone else. It is like a rental car that you have the bumpers and try to crash with everyone. It keeps happening. They play bowling with us like in Spa.
“No one does it on purpose but our races are always DNF.
“We are not lucky because sometimes you touch someone, maybe have some small damage, but you keep the race and continue. But we’ve never been that lucky.”
Alonso quipped there are “more amateurs” in Formula 1 compared to the World Endurance Championship, in which gentlemen drivers compete in the GTE-AM category.
“I’m not upset, just disappointed because I am 9 days here in the US to do a race and I do 600 meters of the race and they push you off,” he said.
“But it is more a problem for the FIA if they keep allowing this type of driving.
“I say because I drive in other series with amateur drivers in GT and things like that and there never is a problem. So, there are more amateurs here than in other series.”
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