“Lewis was the only other driver Fernando worried about” - Lewis Hamilton was Fernando Alonso’s ‘only’ rival during his Ferrari days

A former senior Ferrari staffer believes that Lewis Hamilton was the only driver that Fernando Alonso was worried about during the latter's stint with the Prancing Horse.

Alonso, then the reigning two-time world champion, was Hamilton's first Formula 1 team-mate at McLaren in 2007. Their relationship, however, wasn't very smooth as both drivers were fighting for the F1 title. Ultimately, they both finished on 109 points, with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen (110 points) claiming the drivers' championship.

Alonso would leave the team soon after and end up at Ferrari, via a stint at Renault. During his time with the Maranello-based team, the Spaniard always saw Hamilton as his biggest rival, according to an unnamed ex-Ferrari employee, who told MotorSport Magazine:

“In my time at Ferrari, Lewis was the only other driver Fernando [Alonso] worried about. Yes, other drivers might have been in faster cars and he’d accept that. But on a Grand Prix weekend whenever you’d discuss the challenges, it was only ever Hamilton that Fernando referenced as being a threat, solely because of what he could deliver as a driver.”

He added:

“I think Fernando had matured since 2007 when, as a team-mate, he’d been shocked that a rookie could be at his level, be a threat to him immediately and had not reacted well. With hindsight, he understood that Hamilton alone stands as something beyond the norm. I got the impression that there was no one else on Fernando’s radar as a rival.”

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Fernando Alonso ditches Lewis Hamilton, names Max Verstappen as ‘best’ driver on 2023 F1 grid

Fernando Alonso has named Max Verstappen as the only driver on the 2023 Formula 1 grid who is better than himself.

Aston Martin have emerged as the surprise package this year. They currently seem to have the second-best car on the grid, something Alonso has capitalized on with a podium finish in all three races so far.

Despite having a capable car under him, Alonso has ruled out a title fight with Red Bull Racing and called Max Verstappen, and not long-term rival Lewis Hamilton, the 'best driver in the current field.'

He said:

"At the moment he [Max Verstappen] is the only one I would not like to compete with. I respect Max enormously. At the moment there is no driver who can just enter Red Bull and beat Max. If you take Max out of Red Bull there may be a chance."

The Spaniard continued:

"I think he's at the top of his game now and I see him as the best rider in the paddock. His improvements were evident when he started. He started at a high level, but still had once an accident, because he was perhaps a little too aggressive."