Fernando Alonso was all praise for seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton when he revealed he seeks inspiration from the Briton. Alonso was quoted on X as revealing that seeing Hamilton still motivated after winning seven titles is what really motivates him to push for even more.
The 42-year-old said, “It motivates all of us to see how Lewis keeps the motivation after winning so many titles.” But what really sets Hamilton apart in the eyes of his ex-McLaren teammate is the Briton’s drive despite not having the best car on the grid anymore.
#F1: Fernando Alonso on Lewis Hamilton: “It motivates all of us to see how Lewis keeps the motivation after winning so many titles.” pic.twitter.com/DNOCDas7Ur
— deni (@fiagirly) November 9, 2023
“Now he’s not having the best car. Red Bull is dominating, but he’s still fighting always. He’s chasing Perez in P2 and he’s never giving up,” added Alonso. The Spanish racing ace himself is looking to secure a third title after his return to the sport.
The Spaniard’s comments come as a surprise given how acrimonious their relationship has been since their torrid McLaren days. Since then, the two have been bitter rivals and have been involved in many verbal spats and controversies.
The origins of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton’s rivalry
The rivalry between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton all started back in 2007. Hamilton’s rookie year in F1 saw him pair up with reigning champion, Alonso, in a competitive McLaren team.
The entire season was decorated with some mouth-watering drama. But it all went sideways at the Hungarian GP when Alonso impeded Hamilton during Qualifying. The Briton edged him out on countback and Alonso promptly departed McLaren after just one season.
In my opinion the crash in spa was Hamilton’s fault even though that Alonso could have avoided the crash, but still i think it was Lewis’ fault, but what Fernando said was ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/He03n6luDr
— into the apex (@intoThe_Apex) August 30, 2022
While their direct rivalry only lasted for a season, they’ve never seen eye-to-eye ever since. The most prominent example of things spilling over could be the 2022 Belgian GP where Hamilton and Alonso collided into Les Combes. That incident led to a lengthy verbal spat when Alonso called Hamilton “an idiot.”
