Fernando Alonso has had a dig at Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel by suggesting the Briton had “no opponents” in 2017 which led to the “very easy” fourth world championship he scored on Sunday in Mexico.
It has been Vettel and the Spaniard’s former team Ferrari that has been the closest challenger to Hamilton and Mercedes this season, but a series of decisive moments in Singapore, Malaysia and Japan ultimately proved the turning points which helped Lewis secure his third title in four years.
That failure to maintain the battle until the season finale in Abu Dhabi is what the double world champion seems to allude to when downplaying the significance of his former teammate’s latest accomplishment.
“It was very easy this year, no opponents,” Alonso said. “Last year he had Nico until the last race, fighting every single race. This year was too easy, Mercedes four races to the end Constructors’ champion, Hamilton three races before the end Drivers’ champion.
“Hopefully McLaren-Renault will change this easy time for them,” he added, referring to the expectation of a much-improved year for the British team as they change engine supplier for 2018.
After qualifying, the 36-year-old would suggest McLaren had “the best car” on the grid after setting a fastest middle sector of anyone in Q1, the only part of the Saturday session he would participate in.
In the race, it was about trying to move up from 18th on the grid following engine penalties and he would do so claiming 10th place, Alonso’s third points result of the year.
“I think it was good – overall we start last, we finish in the points, which is a good target for us,” he commented. “I think we had the speed all weekend, the car kept feeling very nice, very good handling, and good balance throughout the race.
“I think we lack a little bit of straight-line speed to attack or defend, so we were stuck behind the Sauber [of Marcus Ericsson] for half the race and then we could not pass [Kevin] Magnussen. We are also very vulnerable when we are in front of people.”
In the closing laps, Alonso would be passed by a recovering Hamilton but he would put up a strong fight to the Mercedes going wheel-to-wheel several times.
Asked if that was him sending a warning shot ahead of next year, he claimed: “I think he knows, he knows. He knows also how strong the McLaren car [is] in the corners, he saw also today.
“I think next year hopefully we can give a little bit harder time to him.”