From that onslaught of Carlos Sainz to Fernando Alonso in Australia they returned with contradictory gestures: first, a hug, then, a sideways look. That this season would test the friendship between the two Spaniards, master and apprentice for a decade, was a certainty. That war was declared so soon comes as a surprise. Alonso vs. Sainz. Sainz vs. Alonso. The fact is that it served a minimal action in the Baku sprint race, a steering wheel movement, a few seconds of contest, for both to raise the tone and confirm the tension they share.
It happened on the sixth lap of a test as brief as it was boring. After Alonso passed Alex Albon at the start, the safety car appeared to control six laps and when it disappeared the stage was perfect for him to go dancing. In front of his Aston Martin, then in seventh position, Lewis Hamilton, sixth, and, a little further, Sainz, fifth. The argument for victory slowed down the peloton and whoever knew how to take advantage of the accordion effect had the doors to heaven open. An ideal situation for Alonso. And, indeed, as soon as the safety stepped aside, he pounced on Hamilton, passed him, and prepared to repeat the play against Sainz. That's the problem. When Alonso was preparing to overtake his compatriot at turn two, he changed the direction of his Ferrari and approached the wall. Suddenly Alonso found himself faced with the dilemma, either braking or crashing, and much to his regret opted for the first option. With that action Sainz and Alonso finished fifth and sixth and, when reaching the finish line, with no more 'highlights' to highlight, the Aston Martin leader was more critical than ever with his friend.
"It wasn't easy to finish sixth starting from eighth position. I'm even going to see if I can do fifth now because the truth is that Carlos took me against the wall at Turn 2, it was a bit surprising. Let's see if they can do something and I can win that position," Alonso said in the mixed zone before a surprised Sainz passed with his words: "Now I don't have that action in my head, I think it speaks of when I was defending myself from Hamilton at the restart. Obviously when Fernando joined the battle I tried to make myself as wide as I could. It's been a good battle and nothing, that's what it is."
Although Alonso warned that he was going to raise a complaint to the International Automobile Federation (FIA), at no time was reported an open investigation into Sainz's maneuver so supposedly his complaint came to nothing.
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