F1: Hamilton vs Alonso | A definitive comparison

The 2013 Chinese Grand Prix Podium - Alonso, Raikkonen, Hamilton

2013

Hamilton switched over to Mercedes after snapping his 14-year relation with McLaren. He was driving the same engine, but with the works team now. It was a year of transition as new V6 turbo engines were due in 2014 and the sport was set for a reset. He compared well with childhood rival Nico Rosberg, was quick in qualifying, and won in Hungary. Post which, Sebastian Vettel went on a world record 9-race winning streak. Nobody stood a chance. The highlight of the season for Alonso was the home win in Barcelona starting from 5th on the grid, which is his 32nd and final win of his career.

Races won: Hamilton 1 Alonso 2

Poles: Hamilton 5 Alonso 0

Podiums: Hamilton 5 Alonso 9

Championship Standing: Hamilton 4th (189 points) | Alonso (242 points) 2nd

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Overall Statistics: Lewis Hamilton vs Fernando Alonso 2009-2013

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Races won: Hamilton 13, Alonso 11

Poles: Hamilton 18, Alonso 5

Podiums: Hamilton 32, Alonso 43

Points: Hamilton 895, Alonso 1055

Ahead in Championship Standing: Hamilton 2009 | Alonso 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

Hamilton and Alonso have the highest regard for each other

If Hamilton had reliability issues with his McLaren in 2010 and 2012, Alonso never had the quickest car to drive in any of these 5 years, despite driving for Renault and Ferrari. McLaren was the fastest car intermittently in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Alonso dragged a very sub-par Ferrari in every year since 2010. That he has had more podium and points than Hamilton during this time is a testament to his exceptionally quick starts, race craft, and consistency in face of unfavourable odds.

With some luck and sturdier machinery, Hamilton could have won the 2010 crown and in an ideal, perhaps parallel world, 2012 has only one rightful winner - in a season which in many experts' opinion is the best campaign that a driver has ever put together in pursuit of a title. Agonisingly, Alonso fell short by 4 points. That third crown, elusive - but not for the want of trying. Him and Ferrari had no business being in the title hunt with the fourth fastest car and an average starting position of fifth on the grid.

Rivals, racers, champions both - Alonso and Hamilton

Both Hamilton and Alonso are champions, not just because of the titles they won but for the drives they put in, when the car just wasn't there. When it refused to behave, they coaxed it, harangued it, squeezed and berated it to positions that have baffled their engineers and viewers. That is why as shown in the 5-year period, across these 94 Grands Prix, there's not much to choose, but an awful lot to analyse, rip, and pick apart. The narrative can be turned either ways. An innate, sub-conscious bias towards one exists.

Both have looked upto the late Ayrton Senna as idol and inspiration. Hamilton is more Senna-esque while Alonso hits that sweet spot between Senna and Prost like abilities.

Hamilton undoubtedly is the best qualifier in history, capable of nabbing pole positions even if it seems a few tenths away from possibility. However, looking at this a bit of information, Alonso was the best driver on the grid, followed by Hamilton. Closely. It is just the vagaries of this confounding, frequently nuts, consistently thrilling sport that they didn't win a world title between 2009-2013 despite driving brave and memorable campaigns that are a part of Formula 1 folklore. One can try, but even extreme stats can't quite capture genius at work everytime. Greatness is not subject to titles. And game recognises game. As Alonso does Hamilton, and vice versa.