Alonso fastest at Monaco Practice as Hamilton crashes in practice

McLaren’s Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton crashed in Monaco Grand Prix practice yesterday in the first mishap of an otherwise sensational debut season.

The team blamed driver error for the accident with 22-year-old Hamilton braking late and spearing into the tyre wall at Sainte Devote, the first turn at the end of the pit straight, with half an hour remaining of the afternoon session.

Double champion Alonso, two points adrift of Hamilton in the overall standings after four races, was quickest in both sessions and the only driver to lap the tight and twisty street circuit in under one minute 16 seconds.

The Spaniard’s best lap in the afternoon was 1:15.940 after 1:16.973 in the morning.