Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso might not have expected to be Formula 1 rivals in 2025 considering when they made their debuts in the sport.
Fernando Alonso first appeared on the grid in 2001 and won his first drivers’ championship 20 years ago with Renault.
After back-to-back titles, Alonso decided to join McLaren in 2007 and was joined by up-and-coming rookie Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton had a glittering junior career and had been backed by then-McLaren team principal Ron Dennis on his way to Formula 1.
Hamilton and Alonso clashed throughout that season and both ended up missing out on the title by a single point to Kimi Raikkonen.
Ferrari haven’t won a driver’s title since Raikkonen’s unlikely victory although Hamilton will hope he can end that drought this season after leaving Mercedes.
Alonso and Hamilton’s longevity is a testament to their dedication to the sport and there are now drivers on the grid who weren’t born when the Spaniard made his debut.
Hamilton has spoken about his dedication to F1 and why he’s still capable of driving at the highest level, but his competitiveness comes back to something he developed before he stepped foot in his first McLaren.
Norbert Haug, the former vice-president of Mercedes Benz and journalist, spoke to Sky Germany F1 during testing about Hamilton’s time with McLaren while his organisation provided their power units.
He’s explained what Alonso couldn’t understand about his British teammate when he arrived at McLaren all those years ago.
Fernando Alonso could ‘never’ understand one thing about Lewis Hamilton at McLaren
Reflecting on his time with the team, Haug said: “Fernando Alonso could never realise that Hamilton was as fast as him from the start – or even faster.
“He was world champion twice in a row and said to himself: ‘It can’t be that the newcomer is faster than me.’
“But that’s how it was. And not because he was at a disadvantage, as was sometimes claimed.”
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Alonso had an incredible rookie season with Minardi himself, proving what rookies can do in Formula 1.
However, there’s a difference between outperforming a struggling car and challenging for race wins during your first F1 season.
Hamilton was never fazed when it came to racing the likes of Alonso, Raikkonen and Felipe Massa and that set him up to go and win more than 100 Grand Prix and counting during his career.
Norbert Haug gives his verdict on Mercedes youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli
With Hamilton moving onto the next chapter of his Formula 1 career, Mercedes had to make an important choice on who would replace the seven-time world champion.
Toto Wolff considered a move for Carlos Sainz but in the end, he opted to promote Andrea Kimi Antonelli from the team’s academy.
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family
Antonelli looked confident during testing but also appeared to be on the edge a lot more than George Russell in Bahrain.
When Haug was asked about the young Italian, he said: “I don’t know whether Antonelli could do the same [as Hamilton in 2007].
“But I trust Toto Wolff and his team to have thought it through very carefully.
“And if the youngster is a real firecracker like Verstappen and Hamilton if he really can do it, then Formula 1 will be in for a real treat.
“There will be one or two mistakes. But let’s be surprised. There are definitely a handful of promising talents in Formula 1.”
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