BARCELONA, Spain – Fernando Alonso has apologized to FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem for comments he made ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in which he said one of the F1 race directors lacked knowledge to do its job properly.
On the eve of his home race, Alonso suggested Niels Wittich, one of two race directors to replace Michael Masi this season, did not have the racing knowledge needed to do the job. He also accused the Miami Grand Prix managers of “incompetence” for a penalty he was given.
Later that day, Alonso was seen chatting animatedly outside the Alpine condominium with Ben Sulayem.
“We also talked during the week,” Alonso said on Sunday after the race, where he drove from last place to ninth. “You are very good to Mohammed.
“Personally, I have a lot of confidence in Mohammed in the way he is handling the FIA and the other changes he is making and the things he wants to improve. I fully support what he is doing and his ideas. he and we talked about Miami and the year in general, what it was like.
“Listening to them, I can also hear the point where I can see the problem and I can do things differently and better.”
When asked if he had apologized, he laughed and said: “Yes, yes, for sure. Especially with Mohammed!”
Alonso suggested he no longer agrees with the comments he made earlier in the week.
“Reflection from Miami, and from Thursday [to] here… maybe now I look at it in a different way. They did their job in Miami and we see differently with the car and the heat of the moment.
“I think we’re all working together to improve the show. For example, today the fans saw a super race and we’re all here to help with that, to help the show. submit.”
