Fernando Alonso fully stands by his claims about the lack of talent at the back of the Formula 1 grid and has questioned why teams put up with drivers crashing so much in the cost cap era.
After a collision with Williams driver Alex Albon at the United States Grand Prix Alonso said the talent of the last one-third of the grid is "very low."
He doubled down on those comments on Thursday during media duties ahead of Sunday's race in Mexico City. "I think it's a very low level of driving, and lack of talent," Alonso told Sky Sports.
"When you make repeated mistakes, throughout the season, and you have crashes on 50% of your races in lap one.
"If I was the team principal, I will not be happy. But if they are happy, you know, I'm okay with that."
Alonso's comments were put to Albon when he was in the news conference.
"Firstly," Albon replied. "I would say that I hugely respect Fernando. I think he's a great driver, and I've looked up to him a lot growing up as a kid. I think we're all in our own little fight at the back. I don't think it's so much about the level of the drivers.
"Obviously, last year we had a great season, and this year we're at the back. But if anything, I would say the grid's the strongest it's been for a while. Obviously, post-race comments are always a little bit more in the heat of the moment, so you can take them with a pinch of salt."
Alonso reiterated those comments and said the only thing he might have got wrong was the number of drivers he had suggested were lacking ability.
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He referenced Albon again by name.
"I don't know if it's the one-third, because then I saw some reports trying to pick up eight drivers or seven drivers," Alonso said.
"I'm not specific on the number of them. But I think we all know which ones we talk about and which ones they felt hit by that comment. That tells you everything. I still feel the same. That was a mistake that was not needed. I still find it difficult to understand what was the opportunity that Alex saw in that moment.
"But it's not only Austin. I've been, unfortunately, in that part of the race for the whole season. So I see things from the car that I cannot tell you."
Asked if the talent at the back of the field is worse than the start of his career in 2001, he said: "No, I think it's the same. It's the same over the years. At the back of the grid, the cars are more difficult to drive. They have less grip. Mistakes happen more often because you don't have the environment under control. The car doesn't welcome you in a nice way.
"You make more mistakes. I don't feel that all the incidents in lap 1, all the touches, all the front wheels that fly around, all these kinds of things are unnecessary. Especially if you're fighting for nothing at the back of the grid.
"The cost cap is also adding to this problem. If their teams are happy with the cost cap and breaking things every race, it's OK for them. Is there something to do against it? Is it more about the stewards knowing that they won't get punished anyway? No, I think the stewards, it's not their job.
"Unless there is something really unsafe, it's not part of the stewards' job. It's just whatever ambition those drivers want for the future. If they want to stay in Formula 1 for longer, if they want to have an opportunity in a bigger team, they are happy to crash."
Other drivers were able to see the funny side of Alonso's comments.
Pierre Gasly, asked about his thoughts Thursday, said: "You have to love Fernando for the statements he makes out there. I have so much respect for the driver he is, and at the same time, he's very vocal. So, I'm not too sure.
"I haven't seen his race. I'm not too sure what he referred to. But I think I would agree. I will say that the level on the grid is probably one of the highest, considering all the drivers we have now, from what I've seen over maybe nine years. I've seen some wild driving approaches when I joined compared to what I see now. But, yeah, I'm not too sure what he referred to."