Formula 1

Petrov considered letting Alonso overtake

Vitaly Petrov has revealed he considered voluntarily relinquished track position to Fernando Alonso last Sunday in Abu Dhabi. Ferrari's bungled race strategy left a furious Alonso trapped behind the Russian's Renault during the championship ...

GMM

Edited: Nov 17, 2010, 12:06 AM

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Vitaly Petrov has revealed he considered voluntarily relinquished track position to Fernando Alonso last Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

Ferrari's bungled race strategy left a furious Alonso trapped behind the Russian's Renault during the championship finale.

Petrov admitted after the race that he would have avoided crashing into the Spaniard "if he had tried a move".

And speaking to the Russian sports daily Super Express, he added: "It went through my mind to let Alonso pass me.

"But I remembered 2008 when Vettel almost took the championship from Hamilton by not letting him go."

Alonso gesticulated angrily at Petrov on the slowing-down lap in Abu Dhabi and told reporters he thought the rookie had been too aggressive.

But Petrov insists: "I was not aggressive. It was a normal race.

"I would also be angry if I was in his situation, but with myself or my team for doing the wrong strategy."

Alonso was later quoted by Blick newspaper: "Everything (with Petrov) was clean and fair.

"Technically we had only the third best car in 2010. But if you're the leader before the final race, it is hard to lose the title in the last minute."

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