Fernando Alonso says Max Verstappen’s two world championships are price greater than Lewis Hamilton’s seven.
Verstappen beat Hamilton on the final lap of the final race in 2021 for his first title earlier than profitable the 2022 title with 4 races to spare on the Japanese Grand Prix.
Alonso, who received his two titles in 2005 and 2006, was teammates with Hamilton in 2007 when their shut rivalry opened the door for Kimi Raikkonen to win the title.
Alonso doesn’t assume Hamilton and even Michael Schumacher received titles in the identical method Verstappen has finished.
“I’ve quite a lot of respect for Lewis, however nonetheless it’s completely different whenever you win seven world titles whenever you solely needed to battle along with your teammate,” Alonso informed Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf..
“Then I feel a championship has much less worth than when you might have fewer titles however have needed to battle in opposition to different drivers with equal and even higher materials.
“In 2005 and 2006, I had a great begin to the yr myself and was capable of create a lead. Then others might need had a greater automotive, however I used to be capable of handle that hole.
“I by no means needed to battle with my teammate to win these titles. Nor did I see Max preventing with [Sergio] Perez or [Alex] Albon to win races.
“However Schumacher specifically fought along with his teammate to change into champion 5 occasions in a row and Hamilton fought with Rosberg and [Valtteri] Bottas. That is completely different, I feel.”
Has Hamilton solely ever overwhelmed his teammate?
Alonso has an argument for 4 of Hamilton’s championships.
Hamilton beat Ferrari’s Felipe Massa on the ultimate lap of the season in 2008 for his first championship, passing Timo Glock on the penultimate nook on the Brazilian Grand Prix for the place he wanted.
Alonso is right that Hamilton then beat his teammate for his subsequent two titles, seeing off the problem of Nico Rosberg in 2014 and 2015. Rosberg then beat Hamilton to the title in 2016.
Hamilton had a aggressive Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari for his subsequent two championships in 2017 and 2018. The second of these, particularly, may be thought-about an enormous Ferrari choke given the automotive it had. Additionally it is the season Vettel infamously crashed out whereas main the moist German Grand Prix.
In 2019 and 2020 Hamilton was virtually unmatched, with teammate Valtteri Bottas ending a distant second on each events.
Verstappen’s second championship was rather a lot like Hamilton’s fourth and fifth, with an early Ferrari championship problem falling aside because the staff capitulated in spectacular vogue.