Alonso Hits Back at Schumacher's Blocking Accusations

Fernando Alonso insisted that he had no knowledge of Michael Schumacher being on a fast lap in the dying seconds of the Australian Grand Prix Q3. Following the qualifying session on Saturday, the German had told the media that both Lewis Hamilton and Alonso had blocked him in Q2 and Q3 respectively, preventing him from scoring a better time.

After the Q3 was over and the drivers parked their cars in the garage, the 7-time world champion came immediately to the Spaniard to ask him about the incident. According to Schumacher's sayings, he asked Alonso “whether the team had told him (he was on a flying lap) and he said no.”

Questioned about the incident by Germany's spox.com, Alonso revealed the discussion with Schumacher did in fact take place, but insisted that his accusations were way off.

“Yes, he thought I had held him up intentionally on his fast lap. But that's nonsense. I could not see him in the mirrors and there was no info on the radio. So I was only able to move over after he was already there,” said Alonso, according to the aforementioned source.

In the wake of several such incidents on the Albert Park track last weekend, the drivers called for a change in mirror rules for the remainder of the 2010 season, as the component has turned into a true aerodynamic device in recent years (with the teams neglecting their role in the driver's visibility). Both Pedro de la Rosa and Rubens Barrichello (two veteran drivers) have mentioned this to FIA delegate Charlie Whiting, with the ruling body yet to make a decision on the topic.

Hamilton is yet to comment on Schumacher's blocking accusations, but then again he had plenty to deal with the past weekend so we're not betting on a response from the 2008 F1 champion.