Former world champion Mika Hakkinen says the competition provided by Lewis Hamilton has current world champion Fernando Alonso rattled.
The pair are teammates at McLaren-Mercedes but Spaniard Alonso is said to be not speaking to Hamilton after a series of incidents between the pair in the Briton’s rookie season.
”Fernando Alonso is the double world champion while Lewis Hamilton has just started his career, but he has already caused him a number of worries, something that Fernando is struggling to accept,” said the Finn, world champion in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren.
Hakkinen, who is in Caracas, Venezuela, as part of a campaign against drinking and flying, says the blame lies entirely with Alonso rather than the team.
”[McLaren] treat both drivers equally [but Alonso] just can’t accept such strong competition from a novice,” added Hakkinen.
The 22-year-old Hamilton currently leads the world championship standings with 80 points, seven ahead of his teammate.
They have not spoken since the Hungarian Grand Prix, during which Hamilton emerged victorious after Alonso was demoted five places from pole for delaying his own teammate in the pits during qualifying.
He went on to finish a frustrating fourth. — AFP
