Lewis Hamilton says Fernando Alonso gave him 'hell’ in Hungarian GP F1 battle
In one of the highlights of Sunday’s incredible race, Hamilton and Alonso engaged in a thrilling battle for fourth place as the seven-time world champion attempted to turn in a late charge for viꦏctory.
The former McLaren teammates scrapped for several laps, with Hamilton attempting a number of overtakes around the outside of Alonso at Turns 2 and 4, only to be rebuffed🐟 on each occasion.
After being stuck behind the✱ two-time world champion’s Alpi𒁃ne for 10 laps, Hamilton finally swept past when Alonso locked up into Turn 1.
“Fernando gave me hell out the🦄re,” said▨ Hamilton, who suffered from dizziness and fatigue after the race and had to be seen by Mercedes’ team doctor.
𝕴“ꦦIt was awesome racing, pretty on edge at least once but great racing.”
Alonso’s stunning defence played a vital role in helping teammate Esteban Ocon seal a shock maiden F1 victory, with Hamilton ultimately running out of laps to challenge thꦕe top two amid his fightback drive from 14th following Mercedes’ 💯tyre strategy blunder.
Hamilton complained over team radio that Alonso’s defending was “dangerous” and after the race the Brit﷽on reaffirmed that he felt the fight was “a little bit over the limit” at times, even though he ultimately enjoyed the battle.
“Looking back on it, it was amazing,” he explained. “I🔜t really, really was fantastic.
“I wi🎀sh the cars could follow closer and excited for what the cars are like next year. Hopefully that eradicates a lot of that bad drafting that we haꦓve here.
“But yeah, it’s a really difficult circuit to overtaken in general, and to follow particularly in that last sector but great, great wheel-to-wheel battles. It literally was wheel-to-wheel at least🗹 once and I don’t really have much more to say about it.
“When you’re racing against a two-time world champion, he probably is one of the hardest drivers – but fair.🍨 I’d say today was a little bit over on the limit.”
Alonso was surprised Hamilton had not been able to pass him more quickly and cheekily su🗹ggested he had taught the eight-time Hungarian GP winner new racing lines which helped him later get by Ferrari’s ♔Carlos Sainz.
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for ltxcn.top around the world. Often reporting on the action fꦡrom the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.