With tensions rising high at McLaren following the use of ‘Papaya Rules’ at the Italian GP, Beyond the Grid podcast host Tom Clarkson recalled the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso from the 2007 season. Pedro de la Rosa, who was on the podcast with Clarkson and a test driver with McLaren on the team, suggested that the Woking-based outfit did the right thing back in the day by letting the two drivers fight.
Alonso and Hamilton went head to head for the 2007 F1 Driver’s title while driving for McLaren. The duo had multiple heated moments over the season, with McLaren not interfering in their battle.
As the drivers battled it out on the track, none of the two won the championship and finished equal on points. Kimi Raikkonen eventually won the championship by just one point. When questioned about their battle from 2007 on the F1 Nation podcast, De la Rosa said,
“But would it have been correct for any of them, for Lewis or for Fernando? It wouldn’t have. So I think that we did the right thing as a team. We lost the championship, but that’s always the issue or always the risk when you have two such great drivers in the team.”
The Spaniard suggested that it was one of the most painful moments of his career. He explained how if McLaren had prioritized one of the two drivers since the start, without a doubt a driver from their team would’ve won the championship.
Over a decade and a half has passed since Hamilton and Alonso went head to head. Yet, there still seems to be an irreparable crack between the two.
Alonso and Hamilton continue to have a tense relationship
Alonso ended up leaving McLaren after the 2007 season since he believed that McLaren didn’t give him preference despite being the senior driver and a two-time champion. Hamilton, on the other hand, stayed and won the championship the following year.
The 2007 championship saga have left unhealed wounds in both Alonso’s and Hamilton’s hearts. It can still be seen on the track that the two do not see eye to eye.
They often have an intense battle on the track, irrespective of their car’s performance. According to De la Rosa, none of the two would agree that McLaren did the right thing back in the day by not prioritizing one over the other.
He said, “I’m pretty sure neither Lewis nor Fernando agree with me.” Regardless, while Hamilton stayed neutral on McLaren’s lack of team orders, Alonso criticized the team for the same.
McLaren has a similar situation on their hands now with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. After they failed to win the title back in 2007 by refraining from prioritizing one of their drivers, it will be interesting to see if they opt for another strategy now.
