Fernando Alonso has refused to back down from comments made in Austin branding the back third of the Formula 1 field as "low level" and as having "a lack of talent".
The Spaniard made the initial statements following a lap one collision with Williams driver Alex Albon at turn eleven of the Circuit of the Americas last week.
The Thai driver thought he saw a gap in the fight for P12 but ultimately collided with the side of the Aston Martin at the hairpin, leaving both cars with damage.
Two-time world champion Alonso eventually finished P16, with Albon following him home in P17, though the Aston Martin man was adamant that he could've been in the mix for points if not for the impairment caused by their clash 55 laps prior.
He argued that the "half a car" he had left was costing him and Aston Martin "half a second or more per lap" - adding "I don't know how we kept on going and how we were semi-competitive".
Following the USA Grand Prix, Alonso spoke in the media pen, taking aim at Alex Albon and the back third of the grid.
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.
While discussing what he called "by far" his best race of the season, he continued to name Albon explicitly, claiming that he "forgot that corner eleven was there and that he had to turn left".
In the media scrum pre-Mexican Grand Prix, the 45-year-old was given the opportunity to explain the comments and perhaps withdraw some of the targeted criticism, but in typical Fernando Alonso fashion, he refused and even doubled down on what he had said.
I think it's simply a very low level of driving and lack of talent ... when you make repeated mistakes throughout the season and have crashes and 50 per cent of your race is in Lap 1, if I was the team principal I would not be happy but if they are happy, I'm OK with that.
When asked whether the current regulations could be a reason for such incidents, Alonso, who has been one of the most vocal in his criticism of the regulations, denied that they were a factor.
Instead he offered suggestions that it could be drivers frustrated at being outperformed by their teammates or not having good seasons, or even knowing that they need eight or nine DNFs to even get near a points finish.
He did make clear that he, personally, is not going to bring the issue up in Friday's drivers meeting, though it remains to be seen if Albon -- or any of the other drivers who find themselves in that bracket -- will raise it themselves.
Albon and fellow drivers react to Fernando Alonso's comments
In the FIA press conference featuring Albon, Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc amongst others, it became clear that the general consensus was that the grid disagrees with Fernando Alonso.
I think the level is strong up and down the grid. I think 10, 15 years ago, the back half of the grid wasn't the way it is now ... You're racing someone that you look up to, but at the same time, I don't agree. It's as simple as that.
"I have a huge respect for Fernando, I looked up to him a lot growing up as a kid, and obviously it's not nice to hear those comments in many ways"
Alex Albon
Today, I'm sure that the level of the grid is super, super high, whether it's in the back, in the middle or in the front.
" The only things that change is obviously the race car that we are driving, but the standards are very high"
Charles Leclerc
I think I would agree [with Albon]. I will say that the level on the grid is probably one of the highest, considering all the drivers we have now, from what I've seen over maybe nine years.
"I've seen some wild driving approaches when I joined compared to what I see now.
"You have to love Fernando for the statements he makes out there. I have so much respect for the driver he is, and at the same time, he's very vocal"
Pierre Gasly
I think that's a slightly harsh conclusion [from Alonso] because I agree with Pierre that the level is very high on this current grid.
"With the gaps that we face this year, you have to be very opportunistic at times, and that can end in disaster, like it did for me last week with myself and Pierre.
"I wouldn't say it's a question of quality. It's a question of trying your very best and trying to make something happen, which is very challenging when the top eight positions are pretty much all filled by the top four teams."
Ollie Bearman
