Fernando Alonso

How Alonso's mind games prompted F1 title rival to crash

18:33, 11 Sep

Updated: 18:34, 11 Sep

byNorberto Mujica

Fernando Alonso is known not only for his skill behind the wheel of a race car, but also for how shreud he is when it comes to maximising any given result. Sometimes, though, such tactics may result in a title rival retiring from the race.

The now Aston Martin driver found himself in the fight for the 2010 world title and conditions at the Korean Grand Prix were not optimal, but they weren't as bad as Red Bull Racing driver and Alonso's title rival at the time, was led to believe. By whom? Fernando Alonso.

Racing would be neuatraliased following three reconnaissence laps behind the Safety Car. After conditions were deemed safe by race officials the race got underway and on lap 19, Webber found the wall, collecting by-stander Nico Rosberg in the process.

Following Sebastian Vettel's engine blowout, Alonso would go on to take the race win, and the championship lead ahead of? Webber, himself.

“I remember once, South Korea in 2010, it was a red flag in the middle of the race. It was very wet, aquaplaning everywhere," Alonso said during a Maaden interview published by Aston Martin.

Fernando Alonso in Hungary

Alonso plays title-fight mind trick on Webber

The Spaniard then went on to reveal how a mindgame he played on his Australian counterpart had dire consequences for the latter.

“I remember once, South Korea in 2010, it was a red flag in the middle of the race. It was very wet, aquaplaning everywhere," Alonso recounted. "We stopped on the grid and it was Mark Webber first. I was second.

“I came to the grid and I spoke with him. ‘The track is really bad, you know, this aquaplaning. It will be a disaster if we restart the race now.’ And I knew that the race was about to restart soon.

“I said that, entering his mind, that the track was worse than what actually it was. And he crashed after the restart.

Alonso then explained how he was playing every card he had at his disposal to simply continue his championship hopes alive.

“I was trying to use every single thing that was in my pocket, you know, in that day to really win a race or keep the championship alive a little bit longer.”

Nevertheless, his actions would bare no fruits as the Spaniard ended up losing the title to Vettel in the last race of the season, being unable to overtake a slower Vitaly Petrov due to the impact dirty air had on the following cars at the time.

In that same interview Alonso revealed Newey's thoughts on Aston Martin's F1 2026 car.