Formula 1’s grid features two seasoned drivers, Lewis Hamilton, 40, and Fernando Alonso, 44. These veterans aren’t just racing; they are also masters of keeping an old-school rivalry alive. It seems some traditions never fade.
The latest chapter unfolded after the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday. Alonso was quite upset. He complained about Hamilton’s car finishing the race without proper brakes. He claimed Hamilton cut corners on the last lap, driving “as if there was no tomorrow.” Alonso’s radio communications showed his frustration clearly. “Damn, my friend. I cannot believe it. I already knew… I cannot believe it. I cannot believe it. Like… I cannot believe it. I cannot believe it. Is it safe to drive without brakes?” he questioned. The audio from the tweet below captures his intense tone.
Alonso’s engineer tried to calm him down. “Yes, we are looking at the situation. We agree with you. We are looking at track limits and everything else,” the engineer replied. “It’s an 8th place, anyway, good recovery.” But Alonso wasn’t satisfied. He pressed on, “Yes, but it should be 7th. You cannot drive as if you were alone on the track. Yesterday [Saturday] he did not respect the red flag. Today they have the track free. This might be too much.”
Hamilton and Alonso have a long history. They were McLaren teammates years ago, but never truly close friends. A day after Alonso’s public complaints, Hamilton decided to respond. He used Instagram for his subtle jab, a classic move from the British driver.
He dug into TV history to find the perfect comeback. Hamilton posted an edited clip from the 1990 British sitcom ‘One Foot in the Grave’. In the video, various characters repeat the famous phrase, “I don’t believe it!” He added text to the post that simply read, “18 years of…” This clever response was a direct nod to Alonso’s repeated “I cannot believe it” remarks over the radio.