Watch: Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso hug each other after battling for the podium in the 2023 F1 Brazilian GP

Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso hugged it out during the media interactions after their epic final lap battle for the final podium position at the 2023 F1 Brazilian GP on Sunday.

The Red Bull driver was chasing down the Spaniard who had occupied the P3 slot for almost the entire race. The Mexican, on fresher tires, was able to execute a passing move on the penultimate lap to move himself into the last podium position.

Fernando Alonso had other plans, as he skillfully used DRS to pass Sergio Perez in a brilliant move into Turn 4 to reclaim his podium on the final lap. The duo shared a nice moment after the race as Perez came over to give a hug to the two-time world champion while he was talking to the press.

After the hug, Fernando Alonso continued his interview, telling ViaPlay:

"He's happy. I told him don’t put me under this stress anymore, you know, because I’m not 20 years old anymore.”

Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez give their take on the photo finish in Brazil

Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez finished within 0.053s of each other and had a photo finish to the line with the Aston Martin driver barely holding on from the charging Red Bull.

As per F1.com, the Spaniard said about the battle:

“For the last 30 laps, it felt like I had pressure from Sergio [Pérez]. But when he passed me two laps from the end, I thought the chance of a podium finish was no longer possible. Then he braked a bit late into Turn One on the final lap, and I said to myself I would go for it into Turn Four. This is a phenomenal result for the whole team."

Sergio Perez was magnanimous in his post-race comments, saying:

"Let’s start from the beginning, it took me a while to get through the Mercedes and that damaged my race, after that, we were always a bit on the back foot with Fernando."

He added:

"We were chipping away at him and towards the end, we came really close to the podium. I have to say well done to Fernando because it was a great fight and really fair racing. Between us, whoever got the podium, it was well deserved, and he got it."

It was the first podium for Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin since the Dutch GP in Zandvoort which took place right after the summer break. It will surely give the team the much-needed boost heading into the final two races of the season.