Copyright mirror
Fernando Alonso was seen giving a sarcastic round of applause to Lewis Hamilton , believing his long-standing Formula 1 rival had obstructed him during practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix . The incident, which wasn't broadcast on TV, saw the Aston Martin driver abandon a flying lap when he encountered the Ferrari in front of him on the track. Alonso had the misfortune of pulling up behind Hamilton just as they entered a narrow and winding section of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit. This meant that the seven-time F1 champion had no room to manoeuvre to avoid releasing dirty air to the car behind, causing Alonso's car to become unsettled. Regardless of whether Hamilton could have realistically done more, his Spanish adversary was far from pleased. Alonso made his feelings clear as he pulled up next to the Ferrari after slowing down, before looking over and taking both hands off the steering wheel to applaud in a sarcastic manner. While Sky Sports viewers missed this moment, it was noticed by some fans who were watching the on-board feed from Alonso's car and quickly made its way onto social media. In the comments, the vast majority of fans felt that Hamilton was not at fault in this instance. One fan asked: "Where did he want Hamilton to go exactly?" Another observed: "As an Alonso fan, I think he didn't get impeded at all, he just let off the gas thinking Hamilton wasn't going to let him take the next corner on optimal line." And a third wrote: "He tried his best to get out of his way, not sure what else he was supposed to do." The two most experienced drivers on the grid, Alonso and Hamilton boast a lengthy rivalry dating back to 2007 when the Briton, as a newcomer, was teamed with the Spaniard at McLaren . Alonso was already a two-time world champion and wasn't best pleased when a fresh face on the F1 circuit began challenging him for victories. Their partnership turned sour and they cost each other so many points that Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen pipped both to claim the drivers' championship. This recent minor incident isn't even the first occasion Alonso has been frustrated by Hamilton's behaviour this month. Following the Singapore Grand Prix , he delivered a remarkable expletive-filled tirade regarding his rival's corner-cutting during the closing stages, which occurred due to brake failure on his Ferrari. Hamilton had crossed the line just ahead of Alonso on track, but enjoyed the final victory when race officials handed the Brit a penalty post-race for exceeding track limits too frequently, demoting him beneath his rival in the final standings.
