Hamilton, a feted prospect, was in his rookie F1 season and had the privilege of studying from the reigning world champion, Alonso, who was becoming a member of McLaren after consecutive titles at Renault.
However Hamilton beat his teammate Alonso in 5 out of six races early within the 2007 season – the strains had been drawn in qualifying in Hungary, when the younger prodigy wouldn’t permit the elder statesman to move him.
“The issues had been extra inside the staff, to be trustworthy,” mentioned Mark Slade, Alonso’s engineer in that season, to Motorlat.
“The staff environment was fairly poor. I feel a couple of issues occurred that exaggerated the issues that had been there.
“I might say it might have been higher dealt with from a administration perspective and a staff goal. Issues didn’t work the best way they need to have achieved. Actually we simply threw away the championship in 2007.
“I feel if Fernando had been backed correctly, we most likely would have gained the ’07 and ’08 championships. Who is aware of what would have occurred after that however there you go. It’s the best way it was.”
Hamilton and Alonso retain a spiky relationship to this present day. It flared up within the 2022 season – the Mercedes driver despatched his Alpine counterpart a signed hat as a sarcastic apology after a collision in Belgium.
Alonso has additionally by no means fairly shed his repute as a troublesome driver for groups to work with. Aston Martin will uncover the reality subsequent season.
However Slade denies that Alonso was ever difficult: “Working with Fernando was nice.
“He’s the terminator of Components One, isn’t he? He simply by no means offers up, and he’s simply tremendous quick.
“You simply knew that you simply had been working with somebody who was attempting desperately to win each race he entered, in order that was unbelievable.”
“I by no means had an issue with Fernando himself. I completely loved working with him.”