The infamous rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso still lives fresh in fans’ memories. Apparently, it gave Alonso a reality check and dismissed his presumptions about his dynamic rookie rival in 2007. It turns out that when Ron Dennis decided to enlist Hamilton at McLaren, Fernando Alonso raised the question: will McLaren be able to win the constructors with a rookie?
In a 2010 interview with the official F1 website, Dennis revealed this interaction with the Spaniard. As quoted by Crash.net, “It was very simple – Alonso didn’t expect Hamilton to be that competitive in his first year. He told me at the beginning that it was my decision to sign a rookie like Hamilton, but that it could cost me the constructors’ championship.”
However, the choice made by Dennis left the team’s star Fernando Alonso in a state of uncertainty. The then-McLaren boss cited that Alonso was calculating everything but not the possibility of Hamilton challenging him.
Dennis‘ revelation underscores how the Spaniard sarcastically questioned if he aimed to win both titles in 2007. As if the two-time champion has a pre-conceived notion that he would seal the drivers’ title without major competition. This skepticism and presumption may have cost Alonso when Hamilton hit his stride and started to match him from the word go.
As the 2007 season unfolded, Alonso realized that Hamilton was going to be a thorn in his side till the season’s end. The championship battle raged on and the McLaren duo often stepped on each other’s toes. This cost the team and benefitted its rival, Ferrari.
Eventually, both Alonso and Hamilton finished on equal points, narrowly missing out on the drivers’ championship by a single point. On the other hand, they got disqualified in the constructors’ due to the Spygate controversy.
Lewis Hamilton names Fernando Alonso as his toughest rival
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso emerged as formidable adversaries, marking the beginning of a rivalry in Hamilton’s debut season. Despite coming close to winning the title, neither McLaren driver claimed the championship that year, as it went to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.
Alonso attributed his loss to McLaren’s alleged favoritism towards Hamilton and subsequently left the team at the end of the season. While Alonso moved on, Hamilton remained with McLaren for a period before making a significant transition to Mercedes.
Over time, Hamilton went on to achieve seven championship titles, encountering various rivals along the way. Yet, during an interview on the occasion of his 300th Grand Prix last year, he revealed that Alonso was his most formidable competitor.
He said, “I remember the task of being alongside Fernando when I was 22, you know, I was so young mentally and of course, OK in terms of skill. But it’s a lot of pressure to go up against a great like him.” Nevertheless, in the same interview, when asked about Hamilton’s evolution since his debut, Alonso remarked that Hamilton had the talent even in 2007, and that talent remains, now coupled with experience.
Additionally, Alonso acknowledged Hamilton as a tremendous driver and a legend in the sport over the years. Certainly, it’s a comforting sight for many fans to see the two best drivers in the sport treat each other with such mutual respect.
