Fernando Alonso had to \u201cfight back\u201d against an unfair dynamic alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2007 \u2013 even if it ended up \u201cdestroying\u201d the McLaren team.<\/p>\n
That is the claim of Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion, who says then-team boss Ron Dennis \u201cunbalanced\u201d the team by favouring Hamilton.<\/p>\n
Fernando Alonso \u2018had to fight back\u2019 against Lewis Hamilton favouritism in 2007<\/p>\n
Alonso arrived at McLaren as F1\u2019s reigning two-time World Champion in 2007, partnering a 22-year-old rookie in the shape of Hamilton.<\/p>\n
Despite pre-season expectations that Alonso would have the upper hand, the pair finished level on points with four victories apiece.<\/p>\n
However, both drivers missed out on the title to Ferrari\u2019s Kimi Raikkonen, who claimed his only World Championship by a single point at the season finale in Brazil.<\/p>\n
Spygate: McLaren cop the biggest fine in F1 history<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udc49\u00a0The eight most expensive penalties in F1 history: Which team has paid the largest amount?<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\u00a0Jacques Villeneuve\u2019s bold and savage quotes: Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton targeted<\/a><\/p>\n The rivalry between Alonso and Hamilton proved explosive and came to a head at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Alonso delayed his departure from the pit box to prevent Hamilton from setting a final qualifying lap.<\/p>\n Alonso was handed a five-place grid penalty and could only recover to fourth on race day, costing him valuable points as Hamilton took victory in Budapest.<\/p>\n That weekend took place against the backdrop of the infamous \u2018Spygate\u2019 saga, which resulted in McLaren receiving a record $100million fine and being excluded from the 2007 Constructors\u2019 standings.<\/p>\n Appearing on the Red Flags podcast, Villeneuve leapt to his former Renault team-mate\u2019s defence, claiming that Alonso had to \u201cfight back\u201d once it became clear that Dennis was favouring Hamilton.<\/p>\n Put to him that Hamilton effectively beat Alonso by finishing ahead on countback in 2007, Villeneuve said: \u201cYou also have to take into account that McLaren signed him, or Ron Dennis signed him, as a double World Champion.<\/p>\n \u201cHe did it for the sponsors and all that.<\/p>\n \u201cThen he announced Hamilton [and said]: \u2018OK, Hamilton is our champion. We don\u2019t like you, Fernando.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me?<\/p>\n \u201cWhen a team boss unbalances internally a team like that, you have to fight back and that\u2019s what happened.<\/p>\n \u201cAlonso was not in a fair field at that point and he had to fight his own battle alone in the team.<\/p>\n \u201cThat actually destroyed the team ultimately.\u201d<\/p>\n More on Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 Fernando Alonso news<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 Lewis Hamilton news<\/a><\/p>\n Alonso and McLaren parted company at the end of that season with the Spaniard rejoining Renault for the 2008 campaign.<\/p>\n He fell narrowly short of adding a third title to his collection with Ferrari in 2010 and 2012 before rejoining McLaren in 2015.<\/p>\n Alonso, now of Aston Martin, reflected on his 2007 stint with McLaren in an interview with the Mail in 2023, claiming that his position at the team was made untenable<\/a> when Dennis declared that he was Hamilton\u2019s main enemy at the penultimate race of that season in China.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cWe had a difficult season [in 2007], but we respected what the other was doing on track and still do.<\/p>\n \u201cWe each consider the other to be a talented driver and one of the toughest competitors we have ever met.<\/p>\n \u201cThe situation that season was not well-managed by our bosses. We were young. We were immature.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were many of the things we are not now and we needed help from the management that we didn\u2019t get.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t continue with McLaren. It was a team with eyes totally one side of the garage.<\/p>\n \u201cAs Ron said after the penultimate race in China: \u2018Our race isn\u2019t with [Ferrari driver Felipe] Massa, it is with Fernando.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cWhen your team says that, you cannot continue. But you learn in a career.\u201d<\/p>\n