Fernando Alonso once looked visibly ‘pleased’ that Lewis Hamilton had lost out on an F1 world title

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Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton shared a fiery teammate partnership at McLaren in 2007, one that culminated in both drivers tripping over each other as Kimi Raikkonen snatched the world championship from their grasp.

For the 2007 F1 season, McLaren fielded a line-up that would go on to be one of the most talented driver duos in the sport’s history, which was apparent from their very first race together.

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However, with two highly ambitious drivers who have the talent to back it up, there was always bound to be fireworks.

• READ MORE: What Fernando Alonso did in 2007 that ‘damaged’ his F1 reputation for the rest of his career

Fernando Alonso looked ‘pleased’ after losing out on the 2007 F1 title

During a recent episode of the Autosport Retro podcast, renowned F1 journalist Maurice Hamilton discussed the controversial events of the 2007 season with fellow correspondent Kevin Turner.

Turner began by highlighting how, rather than looking ‘heartbroken’ after losing out on the title that year, Fernando Alonso actually looked more pleased about the fact that his nemesis hadn’t gotten his hands on one instead.

“At the end of Brazil, he didn’t look absolutely heartbroken that he didn’t win the world championship. He looked slightly pleased that Lewis Hamilton didn’t win it,” he said.

Maurice Hamilton then added, “That’s very true, there’s no question about that. Fernando should have won that championship, but in some ways, he didn’t help himself because he was getting himself so wound up by what was going on.”

Turner then theorised on the possibility that Alonso could have become a four-time world champion by 2008, had Hamilton not been given the nod to drive for McLaren ahead of his rookie campaign in 2007.

“Let’s say they put someone not of Lewis Hamilton’s calibre in the second car,” he said. “Alonso, presumably, would have strolled to the three world titles, probably would have stayed with McLaren and won a fourth title.

“Suddenly, he’s a four-time world champion with two different teams. He’s a legend anyway, of course, but it would change that history quite a lot.”

• READ MORE: Fernando Alonso’s ex-engineer reveals how Lewis Hamilton’s camp caused trouble at McLaren in 2007

McLaren engineers felt Ron Dennis went ‘over the top’ with treatment of rookie Lewis Hamilton

Maurice Hamilton later went on to reveal how McLaren’s engineers were ‘concerned’ with Ron Dennis’ treatment of the British driver during his rookie season, which certainly didn’t help Alonso’s theory that he wasn’t being prioritised.

“It’s interesting too that one member of the McLaren team, who was quite high up, said to me that although Fernando didn’t believe this, they were actually very keen for him to do well,” the legendary journalist said.

“A certain section of the McLaren team were a little bit, not peeved, but concerned that Ron Dennis was putting a lot of emphasis on Lewis and making sure he was well looked after, which is fair enough, because it’s his first year.

“But they felt he’d gone a bit over the top. And they were saying to Fernando, ‘We want you to win.’ Because Fernando tended to think that the whole team was against him.

“They said we weren’t, but he wouldn’t have it because he had people talking in his ear and telling him things that he wanted to hear, which was not really the best thing for him.”