Fernando Alonso says Lewis Hamilton was “lucky” during Mercedes heyday - “Valtteri Bottas could have five titles”
Hamilton won six of his seven F1 cಌhampionships during an era of Mercedes excellenc꧋e, but is now experiencing a car which cannot compete with the Red Bulls.
Sergio Perez won the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix ahead of teammate Max Verstappen, while Hamilton was sixth and even Aston Martin’s Alonso - the star of the opening rounds - missed the podium by one p🐲lace.
Alonso told about Hamilton: “I have a lot of respect for him. After all, we have coincided litt♌le in our careers in the same place.
“Maybe this year we find our💙selves racing together and with simi🍰lar cars, in this part of the year.
“In Australia we were in a mar𝄹gin of two seconds the whole race and it was a very c🌠lose fight.
“But yes, I still think he is one of the best in histor🥀y, but at the same time he has been lucky or to have known how to be in a dominant car for many years.
“And when that happens, Michael Schumacher won seven titles, Lewis alsoܫ seven, Verstappen is on his way to third, I won two.
“To be champion you need the best car.”
Alonso was asked what might have happened to the F1 title if M🏅ercedes had not been so dominantᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ.
“Another oneꦛ for us and for all the driver🌃s,” he said.
“If he had h🌠ad any problems at Mercedes 🐽in those years, Bottas could have five titles. This is how it works.”
Alonso was Hamilton’s teammate during the young and talented Brit’s f🙈i𝔉rst-ever F1 season.
They finished level on points, behind only champiꩲon Kimi Raikkonen.
Alonso went on to claim his two champion🤪ships with Renault but endured a barren spell at Ferrari.
Today, Alonso is the oldest driver on the grid (41) ahead of Hamilton (38) b🎃ut has been reinvigorated by Aston Martin’s ascent.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything fro꧑m Am♋erican sports, to football, to F1.
