Lewis Hamilton took aim at IndyCar competitors before the 101st Indianapolis 500, and the prestige of the greatest spectacle in racing by association.

Former Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has become a bit of a polarizing character in motorsports. From his prioritization of his social life over support of racing overall, to his utmost desire to win at all costs, he’s the world championship’s version of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch. Ahead of the Indy 500, won by Takuma Sato, Hamilton stirred up another controversy.

In an interview with France’s L’Equipe, Hamilton took aim at the IndyCar Series regulars, and their competitiveness in the wake of Fernando Alonso’s strong qualifying run:

I looked at the times and, frankly, for his first ever qualifying for Fernando to be fifth — what does that say about Indy?

The comments from the Mercedes driver have certainly lit a fire under a number of open-wheel fans in the United States. The controversy is two-fold on Hamilton’s, first not understanding the true awesomeness of the speed and power of IndyCar racing, and second underestimating the abilities of his former teammate Fernando Alonso.

If Lewis Hamilton were to compete in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, perhaps he would understand better what the race truly means. It is the grandest open wheel race in the United States, bringing out the best racers in the world. People from all around the globe tune in to see the race, including many of the drivers who race earlier that day in the F1 Monaco Grand Prix. Finally, one has to consider the prestige of winning the race, and the weight that carried not just in the United States but in racing overall.

On the other side, while Hamilton continues to show great reverence for his former teammate Fernando Alonso’s abilities in racing, he clearly underestimates them when compared to other IndyCar drivers. While few could qualify fifth in their first ever oval event, much less one of the most prestigious race in open wheel racing, it would take a driver of great accomplishment to do so. Fernando Alonso certainly fits that bill.

It would behoove Lewis Hamilton to learn more about other racing series around the globe, rather than slapping them around as if they are inferior to solely where he races. Besides, many would love the prospect of seeing Hamilton cross over to another racing series to try something new and challenging.