Fernando Alonso holds a grudge against his former McLaren team-mate Sir Lewis Hamilton, according to Dutch F1 journalist Jack Plooji.
The two-time World Champion prevented Hamilton from winning the Hungarian GP earlier this month, with him holding up the Mercedes driver for some 10 laps and ultimately proving pivotal to ensuring his Alpine team-mate, Esteban Ocon, took victory.
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During a post-race interview, Alonso was greeted by a friendly Verstappen and told him “I tried”, referencing his efforts to stop Hamilton from overtaking him and gaining much-needed points in the Championship battle.
When asked if he believes Alonso’s comment suggests he was trying to help Verstappen, Plooji said: “Absolutely. He holds a grudge against Hamilton.
“Those two are like water and fire. So he thinks ‘if I can screw over Hamilton, I will’.”
Commenting on the collision between Hamilton and Verstappen at Silverstone – which fired the Red Bull driver into the barriers and left him needing medical attention – Plooji suggested that “nice guys” don’t win World Championships.
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“In Holland, he [Hamilton] is perhaps not the most loved because of that action with Max that is burned into everyone’s retinas,” he said.
“But if we are really honest, you also have to be a bit of an asshole to be World Champion. You don’t have to be a nice guy at all.
“Who does Max have to be nice to? Nobody. He has to become World Champion at all costs. [Esteban] Ocon is the same. What a great help that guy had from Alonso [in Hungary],” he added.
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