OCTOBER 29, 2016

Alonso forgives Vettel for frustration

Fernando Alonso smiled in Mexico as he said he forgives Sebastian Vettel for calling him an "idiot".

Fernando Alonso smiled in Mexico as he said he forgives Sebastian Vettel for calling him an idiot.

Vettel, who replaced the Spaniard at Ferrari last year, fired the insult in Alonso's direction after having a flying lap disturbed in Friday practice.

"I don't give it much importance," Spanish media quote McLaren-Honda's Alonso as saying afterwards.

"I'm sure there is a very great frustration on his and Ferrari's part, so he is forgiven," he smiled.

However, Vettel was actually fastest overall on Friday, but the German was not reading too much into it.

"We have good pace compared with the other two teams (Mercedes and Red Bull)," he said. "If the situation doesn't change and we stay ahead, I won't mind!

"But I saw one of Lewis' laps and he made a few mistakes, so we'll see how things turn out. Perhaps Mercedes still have something in the bag," said Vettel.

(GMM)