“Our relationship is colder than it used to be”: Fernando Alonso says he and Lewis Hamilton are not the best of friends outside of an F1 track

"Our relationship is colder than it used to be": Fernando Alonso says he and Lewis Hamilton are not the best of friends outside of an F1 track

Fernando Alonso recently said that his relationship with former teammate Lewis Hamilton had turned a lot ‘colder’ over the years. 

Hamilton and Alonso were teammates at McLaren during the 2007 season. It was the former’s rookie season, and Alonso was coming off a successful spell with Renault winning 2 Championships in a row. That year was turbulent for the two drivers off the track.

The Briton and the Spaniard shared a lot of problems within the teams. They were generational drivers and were equal in terms of talent. That is evident because both drivers finished just one point behind eventual Champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Later, both Hamilton and Alonso agreed that the situation was not handled well by McLaren.

Fernando Alonso left F1 in 2018 after a second stint with McLaren. However, he returned to the sport in 2021 and is currently driving for Alpine. He recently said that while he and Lewis aren’t really ‘friends’, they share a very professional relationship.

Also read: Charles Leclerc bulldust Fernando Alonso’s words discrediting Lewis Hamilton of his heroics in Brazil

“Lewis has a very different lifestyle and that separates us”, says Fernando Alonso

The 40-year-old driver also said that he is very different to the seven times World Champion in many ways. They don’t see eye to eye in a lot of things. As a result, he does not share an amicable relationship with the Mercedes driver.

“We talked in 2008, 2010 and 2011 and we were closer than ever in those years because we understood that in 2007 we were not very well managed by our bosses,” said the Alpine driver.

“Then we were both very young and very competitive, and we needed some guidance and we didn’t get it. It was an easy conclusion to make of the 2007 season and we respected each other a lot and understood each other a lot too.”
“Now we have this respectful relationship, but maybe it is colder than it used to be. We have different opinions on different things. Lewis has a different lifestyle to many of us and that separates us.”

Alonso feels that career longevity is not one of Hamilton’s strengths

Lewis has won 7 world titles and is currently battling for his 8th with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. At the age of 36, fighting week in week out at the highest level may be considered a feat for some, but Alonso disagrees.

“In Formula 1, you are always motivated,” said Alonso. “If you win the championship, the following year you completely reset, start from zero, and you will never get tired of success. So I don’t think that is a strength for Lewis.

“Lewis has so many strengths but it is not impressive to keep winning. That is quite easy.” he concluded. Alonso is currently 10th in the driver’s standings with 62 points to his name.

Also read: Former F1 World Champion advices Max Verstappen to refrain from trying to intimidate the Mercedes driver

Post Edited By: Tanish Chachra
Alpine F1 Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton McLaren Mercedes

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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