Four-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has claimed his rookie season alongside Fernando Alonso at McLaren was the only year in which he learnt anything from his teammate.
The Briton arrived on the scene with the British team in 2007, partnering the Spaniard who also moved to the Woking outfit fresh from winning his two world titles with Renault. The story famously goes that the two would fall out with Alonso unhappy at how equal he and Lewis were and that would allow Kimi Raikkonen to take the title in a three-way duel at Interlagos.
Since then, Hamilton has pretty much been considered the lead driver at the team he has raced for, even after Jenson Button joined McLaren in 2010 after winning his F1 title with Brawn GP the year before and when he joined Mercedes alongside Nico Rosberg in 2013.
Perhaps then, it was that perception that led the 32-year-old to admit: “From all my teammates that I’ve raced with, I don’t generally take much from them,” he told CNN’s The Circuit.
“I’d say probably the only teammate I’ve ever really learned something from would have been Fernando [Alonso]. It was my first year in F1. After that, I would say I was able to have the experience, so I never felt I was taking anything from another driver.
“I was just always trying to enhance and unlock my own abilities.”
Despite his claim, Hamilton would suggest that losing the title last year to Rosberg did teach him one lesson that he put into practice this year and has seen his relationship with Mercedes blossom once again, beating Sebastian Vettel to a third title in four years as a result.
“I think I came to the team with a good energy but my work ethic is so much better today, so I would have applied that at the beginning,” he said.
“I probably would have five championships right now, but I wouldn’t change it for the world, losing the championship last year enabled me to be the driver and the man I am today.”
