Alonso praises Hamilton and places him in his Top 5

Their relationship began in the tumult of a fratricidal 2007 season at McLaren but Fernando Alonso says he would be very happy to see Lewis Hamilton equaling Fangio's five titles. 

The pilot Mercedes is 67 points ahead of Sebastian Vettel before the United States Grand Prix and can claim a 5th crown this Sunday in Austin. Hamilton already has the absolute record for pole positions with 80 starts from the top of the grid. With 71 victories, he is only 20 successes away from the reference established by Schumacher in this area.  

Present alongside Hamilton at a press conference at the Circuit of the Americas, Alonso was asked which world champions he would place in his personal Top 5, all eras combined.

« It's difficult to establish this kind of hierarchy, replied the Asturian, crowned in 2005 and 2006 with Renault. But I would probably say Michael [Schumacher], Fangio, Senna, Cheers and Lewis. These are the names that come to mind but it's difficult to compare eras and point scales. If Lewis wins this fifth title and equals Fangio, it will be a great achievement.

If anyone from our generation has to do it, I'm glad it's Lewis because he proved from his first day in F1 that he had the necessary talent and determination. When the car performed well and dominated, he won the championship and even when his car was not exceptional, he scored big results and proved his worth. It's not easy these days ».

As for whether the beginnings of such a journey were perceptible from Hamilton's first steps in F1, Alonso explains that his former nemesis did not wait long to make his mark in the premier category. 

« In 2007, it was hard to imagine what the future would hold but from the start, Lewis proved his worth by challenging for the title as a rookie and then winning the championship the following season. At that time, we could say that he could win five titles, or even seven (absolute record held by Schumacher, Editor’s note) but he then experienced more complicated seasons because his car was no longer in the race. 

When he moved to Mercedes in 2013, we thought he wouldn't make it because the car wasn't yet at the top. We know the rest. Even when the car wasn't performing well, he was still able to win a few Grands Prix per year, which is impressive.you”. 

By the time he retires from F1 at the end of the season, Alonso could also have five titles. It was eight points short, the native of Oviedo finishing 3rd, 1 point behind Kimi Räikkönen in 2007 and vice-champion behind Vettel in 2010 and 2012 by 4 and 3 points respectively.