Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were teammates when the Briton debuted in the sport in 2007. The duo were involved in a massive rivalry that saw Alonso lose his third championship title to Kimi Raikkonen.
After his two years of battling with Hamilton in McLaren, Alonso moved to Renault and then to Ferrari. Ever since his move they never really got into a battle against each other.
In 2018, Hamilton said that the fact that they never properly battled for the title got decided when Alonso made the ‘mistake’ in 2014 of thinking that he controlled the drivers’ market.
Alonso won his last championship title in the 2006 season while Hamilton went on to break many records and become a 7-time world champion equalling the record set by Michael Schumacher.
Lewis Hamilton does not regret Alonso not getting a good car
Speaking to Motorsport in 2018, Hamilton was reflecting on his 5th world championship and his rivalries and he said that Alonso could have won more titles and it’s not like he didn’t have the opportunities.
Alonso’s move to Renault and Ferrari has often been described as a bad decision by the Spaniard. Hamilton also said that “I don’t regret he didn’t go in a better car.”
Talking about his decisions of swapping teams, the Briton said that the Spaniard was a top driver and he could go wherever he wanted to go but he made the wrong decisions.
“He believed he controlled the drivers’ market in 2014.” Alonso moved to Ferrari in 2010 and Hamilton signed with Mercedes in 2013.
In 2014, Alonso gave up his seat at Ferrari and went back to McLaren. Speaking about the time, Hamilton said that he himself and Sebastian Vettel were also available in the drivers’ market at the time.
And as soon as Alonso left Ferrari, Vettel grabbed the position. “He was like: I’ll go for Seb’s spot, but then they filled it, and then he was like, ‘Oh S**t.'”
Lewis Hamilton’s triple overtake on Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg pic.twitter.com/244Q5YjNmg
— LH POLE LAP EVERY DAY UNTIL F1 IS BACK (@LHPOLELAPS) January 8, 2023
Hamilton respects the 2-time world champion
Alonso has been in the motorsport business since 2001. He even took retirement from the sport quoting that there wasn’t much left for him to achieve in F1.
But he returned in the 2021 season and has ever since left the world in shock with his phenomenal performance with which he also scored a podium.
Hamilton 2018 also said that he has huge respect for him because he is an exceptional driver. Recalling the time back in 2007 when he took his fight to the 2-time world champion Hamilton believes that people did not really appreciate the pressure he was undergoing up against Alonso.
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