“It’s a lot of pressure to go up against Fernando Alonso”– Lewis Hamilton admits $20 million annually earning F1 star is toughest opponent in his career so far

Lewis Hamilton admits that Fernando Alonso has been the most formidable challenge in his Formula 1 career since the Briton will complete 300 starts.

In 2007, F1 got an amazing storyline where a talented rookie Lewis Hamilton was giving a hard time to the two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.

Both drivers finished on equal points in the standings. The conflict between the two was so massive that McLaren had to axe Alonso from the team ahead of the 2008 season.

This gave birth to a massive rivalry between the two drivers. 15 years later, they are the most seasoned F1 drivers on the grid, and Hamilton will touch the mark of 300 race starts at Paul Ricard this Sunday.

#FrenchGP 🇫🇷: Fernando Alonso on Lewis Hamilton’s 300 GPs: “I don’t think Hamilton has changed much in these 300 GPs. He had talent from his early days at McLaren. It was a pleasure to share this time with him on the track.”

— deni (@fiagirly) July 21, 2022

Amidst all this, he admits that Alonso was the toughest opponent in his career. Apart from Alonso, Hamilton time to time, has received challenging opponents in his career.

“I remember the task of being alongside Fernando [Alonso] when I was 22. It’s a lot of pressure to go up against a great like him. “On pure pace, I would say it’s Fernando and ability.”

From Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel, and most recently, Max Verstappen in 2021. So, naming Alonso as his toughest nemesis is a significant admission.

Also read: Fernando Alonso thinks $285 Million worth Lewis Hamilton has not changed in 300 GPs

Will Fernando Alonso survive 2022?

Alonso, at 41, is struggling to convince the media that he is still fit for F1. Even though he has repeatedly assured everyone that he is never felt so physically fit in the last 16 years.

Many accuse him of blocking the seat for the younger drivers. But, the Spaniard claims he performs better than many grid drivers. Thus, they are technically stopping youngsters from fetching opportunities.

Alpine does have pressure to get Oscar Piastri in F1 by next year. The F2 champion willingly took a year’s hiatus from racing to serve as a reserve driver at Alpine to remain at the French setup.

Therefore,  Alpine owes him this much for his loyalty. If a speculated move to Williams fails, Alpine might consider replacing Alonso with the Australian. They will also save a massive amount from Alonso’s hefty $20 million annual paycheck.

The opposite could give Alonso a couple of years more in F1, and the Spaniard has admitted that currently, he says himself in F1 till then only. It remains to be seen what will Alpine decide for next year.

Also read: Fernando Alonso thinks ‘new fans’ bringing $1 billion revenue don’t understand F1

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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