Fernando Alonso says Lewis Hamilton was “lucky” during Mercedes heyday - “Valtteri Bottas could have five titles”
Hamilton won six of his seven F1 championships during an era of Mercedes excel𝓰lence, 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 place.
Alonso told about Hamilton: “I have a lot of respect for him. After all, we have coincidꦕed little in ouꦓr careers in the same place.
“Maybe this year we find ourselves racing together and with similar cars, i🍸n this part of the year.
“In Australia we were in a margin of two second🌞s the whole race and it was a very close fight.
“But yes, I still think he is one of the best in history, but at the same time he has been lucky or to have known how to be 🔜in a doꦐminant car for many years.
“And when that happens, Michael Schumacher won seven titles, Lewis also seven, Verstap༒pen is on his way to third, I✤ won two.
“To be champion you need the best car.”
A𝓰lonso was asked whღat might have happened to the F1 title if Mercedes had not been so dominant.
“Another one 🌱for us and for alꦅl the drivers,” he said.
“If he𓃲 had had 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 tale🐲nted Brit’s♏ first-ever F1 season.
T♛hey finꦉished level on points, behind only champion Kimi Raikkonen.
Alonso went on to claim his two championships with༺ Renault but enduredജ a barren spell at Ferrari.
Today, A♌lonso is the oldest driver on the grid (41) ahead of Hamilton (38) but has been reinvigorated by Aston Martin’s ascent.
Jame🌳s was a sports journalist꧟ at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
