Why Fernando Alonso Trusts Lewis Hamilton

Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton delighted fans when they engaged in close battles during the start as well as the middle of the race in Canada. Alonso has now explained why he doesn’t get nervous when involved in such close battles with Lewis as quoted by multiple media outlets

0:00 - Why Fernando Alonso Trusts Lewis Hamilton
1:11 - Fast Feed

I'm your host Dillon Shelley and first up on Formula World:

Why Fernando Alonso Trusts Lewis Hamilton

Alonso started off by suggesting that he is enjoying these battles

“I really enjoy these battles and these podiums”

“There is a lot of respect, a lot of talent when you fight against Max, Lewis”

He then explained the challenges of fighting against drivers like Max Verstappen and Hamilton

“You know that you cannot make a mistake because they will take advantage of that and they will not make a mistake”

“So if you want to beat them you need to be tenth after tenth faster to close that gap”

“It’s very intense battle. Very fair, very respectful”

He signed off by delving into why he can trust Lewis in such situations

“For me when I pass Lewis you can trust what he’s doing”

“He will defend hard but within the limits. Same at the start”

“There is a sense of awareness and respect that is not sometimes [there] in other parts”

Fast Feed

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is “not even sure that [they] can facilitate [a seat for Mick Schumacher]” [Motorsport Week]

“Every time we speak highly of him, somebody feels the need to say something negative”

“Wherever I can speak highly and praise Mick, that’s what I’m doing. But in the end, it’s every team’s authority to decide on their drivers”

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko stated “why should we pick on Schumacher? He is a Mercedes driver, Mr Wolff is responsible for him” [Sport 1]

“If he thinks so highly of him, why not let him drive in his own team or use his influence to get him in a customer team like Williams?”

“Mr Wolff was again openly playing politics with the FIA against us [by recommending that Mick should be accommodated in the Red Bull group]”

McLaren team principal Andreas Stella explained that “at the start of the season, [they] realized that the car needed a fundamental redesign” [Official Statement]

“So, this redesign is actually interesting. It will be decently noticeable. We had to redesign even some parts under the bodywork”

“That's also why it took some time to be in condition to deliver these upgrades. So I would say pretty much the entire car”

AlphaTauri Nyck de Vries doesn’t “measure success purely and solely by numbers”

“I think that it doesn’t quite do all the other work justice”

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen revealed that his overtake on Nico Rosberg at the 2016 Brazilian GP “was good” [Pondens]

“I probably wouldn't try the same move now, but it depends on your position in the championship a little bit”

“At the time, I had nothing to lose, so I just went for it”

Is it unfair to judge a driver’s performance purely based on numbers?

[FormulaWorld]

0:00 - Why Fernando Alonso Trusts Lewis Hamilton
1:11 - Fast Feed

[juanpablomirelesmaria]

One thing that Kimi, Alonso, Lewis and Vettel have in common is their fair racing hard but fair even if they were fighting for championships. So I understand Alonso's trust.

[Chadlonso]

two of the best drivers of all time fighting each other is amazing to watch

[rs]

I’m looking forward to Alonso battling Max and racing him like he races everyone else. Max wont like that.

[marianne]

Fernando and Lewis are fair and respectful drivers ❤

[martinhalaj]

I would not be entirely surprised if this is just Alonso trying to play mind games to try and make Lewis and Max be a little more carefull in wheel to wheel fights so he can gain an advantage :D

[sambitranjan]

He indirectly said, everyone isn't Crashtappen who crashes into anyone who tries to overtake him.

[perpetual_bias]

i don't think alonso ever gets nervous going wheel to wheel with anybody. just like hamilton

[borealis]

"What an idiot! We had a mega start, but this guy only knows how to drive and start in first."

[y_fam_goeglyd]

It might be a good job idea for Toto to do what Red Bull did with Albon. You can clearly see that they actually really like him. They kept him on the payroll, gave him the underrated & undervalued (by many fans - but definitely not by the teams and "active" drivers) position of sim tester, which was apparently a big help in the fight to get Max that first championship. After all, his is the voice you hear over Max's, screaming with joy! Had they not respected him, he wouldn't have been in Abu Dhabi, let alone the pratt perch.

They also funded his racing in the DTM as a great way to keep him race sharp. And when he got the opportunity at Williams, they were sad to lose him but weren't going to stand in his way. Don't be surprised if he returns to RB over the next few years, unless Williams suddenly improve!

Toto could easily do something similar for Schumi Jr. After all, his dad raced in tin tops on the way to F1, and something like WEC or DTM would do as it's done for Alex - keep him race sharp. With Gio's amazing success for Ferrari at Le Mans, maybe hypercars could be the avenue which gives young Mick the right avenue to a successful career. F1 isn't the be all and end all, after all.

It's quite possible that Audi would want him (it seems to be confirmed that they want a German driver, which is understandable), and that would be more likely if he has some hypercar success. That class is the F1 of endurance racing after all. Sponsoring him to get a seat in hypercars, especially with new manufacturers' teams on the horizon, could be the key for him to try out for them.

Not for the first time I disagree, at least in part, with Helmet Head. He's right that RB are under no obligation to take him on. However, neither was Toto and/or the Mercedes' team (we haven't been told, to my knowledge, who is actually paying his wages). He took Mick under his wing because of his and Mercedes' long history with Michael Sr. Ferrari had been Mick's paymaster up until Haas sacked him (whether he resigned or was pushed from Ferrari isn't clear: I've heard both sides mentioned).

Toto's no fool, not by a long chalk. If he didn't think that Mick could succeed in the right team, he'd have done something else for him - maybe talked him into trying Indy or V8s (I know it's Supercars now, I'm just old-fashioned ;)). Marko has no right to say that he shouldn't have been sounded out by Toto (especially as it looks like de Vries might not last a full year, sadly). There's no harm in asking. Marko had as much right to say no. Who knows, Toto asking around might lead to something in the future 🤷🏻‍♀️.

[NT_Chris]

Nah, I remember Spa Belgia 2022 too well to believe this.

[Curtiselewis]

Shut up Helmut Marko you should keep that same energy when wanting Nick DeVries for alpha tauri

[chriswotton]

Random 2016 fact on Verstappen surely news isn't so hard to come by 😢

[MiiDev]

You know.... Marko is right, if Mick is so good, why doesn't Toto get him a seat in a Mercedes or a Mercedes customer car?

[Dabayare]

Albon spies on Mercedes engine for RB. Wolf wants Mick to do the same now :)

[jeffreytan]

Sure I’ve made lots of Gaysteppen Fans cry. Loved it ❤

[robertzagni]

I think judging a driver purely on race results is sometimes harsh and unfair, but a the end of the day that’s all you have as a measuring stick

[omursaraslan]

Not gonna lie I was a little worried about my boy Yuki when Nicky the over-confidence came on board.
Hear Nicky making all the racing driver excuses now.

[jamescameron]

Can't say this about max, Max would just run you off the track or cause damage

[apocalypse]

anyone remember first lap of spa in last year? he didnt quite sing his praise then