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Two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso recently claimed that neither Lewis Hamilton nor Max Verstappen built a championship-winning outfit. Alonso believes both Hamilton and Verstappen only found a title-winning team to become multi-time champions.
The Aston Martin driver based his argument on the theory that the two drivers were at the right place after major regulation changes that shook up the F1 grid. Alonso attributed Lewis Hamilton's success to his switch to Mercedes in 2013 and the engine regulation change that arrived the following year.
"When Hamilton went to Mercedes (2013 season), he didn't build anything to be champion." Alonso was quoted as saying by Marca. "It was only a change in regulations (hybrid engines) that changed everything on the grid and boosted Mercedes."
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Similarly, he suggested that Max Verstappen and Red Bull benefitted from the regulation changes in 2021.
"I think the same with Max, when he joined Toro Rosso and Red Bull, Hamilton continued to win everything. Red Bull is not a winning team thanks to him, simply another regulation change in 2021 has caused them to now win all the races," he added.
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have dominated the sport over the last decade. They have won every championship since 2014 except 2016 - which was won by Hamilton's teammate Nico Rosberg. Mercedes got a big advantage due to the regulation change in 2014, but that advantage is now firmly in Red Bull territory.
Fernando Alonso also stirred the age-old debate of driver versus car in F1, and insisted that designers have more impact on the results than the drivers.
"When we say that we can 'build' teams around us, I don't understand it. This is a sport in which technical decisions, regulations, or the inspiration of the design office make more of a difference than your input, your comments, your personality, or the way you drive," he said.
The Spaniard added that Hamilton and Verstappen were in the 'right place at the right time' and that luck is also a significant contributor to success.
3x F1 champion outlines 'serious problems' for Lewis Hamilton's search for eighth title
F1 legend Jackie Stewart reckons that Lewis Hamilton no longer has the hunger to fight for his elusive eighth title. While calling the Mercedes driver the 'best to ever drive in Formula 1', he told the German publication Bild:
“But the truth is that in the last decade, he competed with Mercedes for a team that was virtually out of competition. During this time, Lewis only had one real competitor: his respective teammate. Except for 2016, he always emerged victorious from the duel.”
“But Rosberg was hungry and had the absolute will to become world champion. Lewis no longer has that hunger. Because of that – and because the car is no longer quite as powerful – he has serious problems.”
While Stewart added that winning an eighth championship isn't an impossible goal, he feels it depends on Mercedes' form. However, he is not optimistic about Lewis Hamilton's chances of increasing his championship tally.
