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After Sunday's Formula 1 race in Austin, 45-year-old Fernando Alonso called the quality of other drivers in the lower third of the grid "very low." The Aston Martin driver hopes his team can improve so it's no longer his problem.
What feels like a lifetime ago, Alonso failed to finish his first United States Grand Prix when his Minardi broke down halfway through the 2001 edition at Indianapolis. The two-time F1 world champion now finds himself again at the back of the field, and he's not pleased with the driving standards.
Alonso's tantrum was provoked by a first-lap collision with Alex Albon. The Williams driver dive-bombed to Alonso's inside on the entry of the tight Turn 11 left-hander. Alonso couldn't take evasive action with a Haas to his outside. Albon hit the Aston Martin and ripped the left-side bargeboard off the car, while damaging his own front wing. The reckless move stalled any progress either driver could have made. Alonso and Albon finished the race 16th and 17th respectively. According to The Race, Alonso said afterward:
I think the quality of the drivers in the lower third of the grid is very low, as we saw today with Alex. So I think we need to improve the car and start a little bit higher up."
Most F1 races can be neatly split into three tiers. The front-runners are fairly spread out with occasional wheel-to-wheel clashes. The back-markers are having their own private test session. The midfield struggle could be best described as a non-stop bar brawl, especially behind 10th place, the last points-scoring position. Alonso has scored points only three times this season, so there's certainly room for improvement.
Meanwhile, at the front
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The U.S. Grand Prix was Kimi Antonelli's first opportunity to mathematically clinch the world championship. It was a long shot requiring poor performances from both his Mercedes teammate George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, but Antonelli did his job. He started on pole, got a great start and never looked back. Russell and Hamilton also got enough points to extend the title fight to Mexico City, where Antonelli only needs to finish ninth or higher to seal his maiden title.
We're underway in Texas!
Kimi Antonelli retains his lead off the start 💨#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/9xzQPPDrP6
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 25, 2026
The fight for the other podium places was between Ferrari and Red Bull, with Charles Leclerc and the not-retired Max Verstappen having an electric wheel-to-wheel battle during the opening lap. Hopes that it would lead to a thrilling finish were shattered by another Paper Bulls situation. Verstappen and Isack Hadjar both suffered radio issues again, while also dealing with car balance and engine-braking problems.
Both drivers also were frustrated by the team's strategy calls, but Verstappen was still able to claw his way to third behind Leclerc. Verstappen's back-to-back October wins at Sepang and Singapore proved Red Bull Racing is getting faster every week, but reliability remains a lingering issue.