Lewis Hamilton says the toughest rival he has faced in his 16-year F1 career is Fernando Alonso, who ranks higher than Max Verstappen.
The seven-time world champion started racing in F1 in 2007 and drove with Alonso for the McLaren team, which oversaw the youth career from Kurt to Formula 2.
Hamilton had a breakout rookie season, scoring podium finishes in the opening nine races and winning four in a 17-race campaign.
He and Alonso battled for the World Drivers’ Championship and collided on and off the track. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen ultimately won the crown when McLaren squandered an opportunity and the pair’s relationship deteriorated over time.
Alonso left the team at the end of the season and continued to challenge Ferrari up front after an average comeback at Renault. Meanwhile, Hamilton followed up by winning the 2008 title at the final round of the season in Brazil.
Alonso, 41, is yet to add two titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, but is widely regarded as one of the best drivers the sport has produced. While at Ferrari in 2010 and 2012, he twice drove in the immediate vicinity of Sebastian Vettel in what appears to be behind Red Bull in Germany.
Hamilton is one of the most impressive drivers of the season, despite the fact that the Spanish continue to play sports with Alpine and could not challenge his victory in the midfield, Hamilton before his 300th F1 race was selected as one of the best players . he faced. French GP this weekend.
“I remember my mission with Fernando. [Alonso]… I was very young mentally. Facing a great person like him on pure pace and skill is a lot of pressure. I think that’s Fernando.”
Hamilton and Verstappen fought one of the fiercest battles in F1’s 70-year history in 2021, with the Dutch finally winning the title at the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. However, Alonso is the front-line driver that Hamilton enjoys the most.
“We had a good fight,” Hamilton said. I wish I had more and I hope he keeps racing and can bring more in the future.
For Alonso, the presence of his teammates was not surprising, hence the success that Hamilton has enjoyed.
“I don’t think it has changed,” Alonso explained. He had this talent in 2007, but he still has it. In my experience, he was a great driver and a legend in our sport. It was always a pleasure spending time with him all this time. “
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Source: Metro
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