Hamilton: I see Alonso 'as my Prost'

[theforce]

Formula One has seen some great rivalries over the years with the Ayrton Senna-Alain Prost duel usually top in most people's books.

So who would fill the roles of Senna and Prost on the current grid? Look no further than Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, according to the McLaren driver.

The duo has had their fair share of run-ins over the last couple of years with the "highlight" being Alonso's controversial season with McLaren in 2007 when Hamilton was in his rookie year.

Since then they've always kept a close eye on each other so it's no surprise that Hamilton feels Alonso is his "nemesis" and sees the Spaniard as "his Prost".

"I will always think that my nemesis and my closest rival will always be Fernando," Hamilton is quoted in The Telegraph. "Just because of my history, when I started out. I see him as my Prost, if we were Prost and Senna. If you were to say 'choose a driver' [that I would like to be] I would clearly choose Ayrton. And maybe I would put him as Prost."

So where does reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel fit into the picture? Does the McLaren driver rate him as a "nemesis"?

"I don't think so," Hamilton said. "If he continues to have a car like he does now then, maybe, but I think when we get equal pace then we will see some serious racing. Maybe he [Vettel] is the new [Nigel] Mansell? Not that I would rate him like I do Mansell."

On what planet does he consider himself as Senna of this era? Very selfish yet unsurprising

[Greig]

Prost was better anyway

[Ferrarichamp]

I have a feeling Lewis will soon change his tune regarding Vettel

[Tifosi]

...does that make Barrichello the new Barrichello then?

[Kingdom Hearts]

psychological warfare against Vettel, love it .

[Mitra]

I have a feeling Lewis will soon change his tune regarding Vettel

...does that make Barrichello the new Barrichello then?

[Ken]

On what planet does he consider himself as Senna of this era? Very selfish yet unsurprising

Where does he get this notion that he is Senna's equal, do you remember him saying that during his rookie year ??.

He can never match the legend in terms of personality or driving style.

Complete and utter delusional Lewser

[Greig]

I don't think he is suggesting he is as good as Senna

[Grillo]

I think Hamilton was just answering some journo, he's not saying he's as good as Senna. If he could pick a driver from the past he would pick Senna, and then he picked Alonso as Prost. Both of them can still win a championship or two, nobody knows. I didn't see the Red Bull being so much faster than McLaren to let Vettel have an easy championship against Hamilton. I think they are on the right path in Woking and the championship is very long. If Ferrari solve whatever problems we faced last Saturday it will be really a very long Championship for Red Bull against McLaren and Ferrari.

[Greig]

I think Alonso would manage better than Lewis and Vettel with car's from the Senna/Prost era, Seb would not know how to change gear

[shostak]

LH remembers me a phrase in spanish: 'no es más tonto porque no se entrena'. Its equivalent in english, i think, is : 'dumb as a bag of hammers'.

[Grillo]

I think Alonso would manage better than Lewis and Vettel with car's from the Senna/Prost era, Seb would not know how to change gear

He would need a scooter type of engine and he would close the eyes at overtaking.

No seriously, I think both Hamilton and Alonso would dominate many races with a RB7 type of car. Vettel might have improved from last year but I still want to see it. It's been very easy for him to win a lot of races from P1, they know he needs P1 or else they're in trouble.

[Stormsearcher]

...does that make Barrichello the new Barrichello then?

[Ste]

Both Vettel and Alonso are better than Hamilton.

Vettel is maturing very quickly and unless we can provide a package to Alonso that let's him fight at the front then Vettel will walk it. He's amazing over one lap, consistent in a race and his head is becoming ever calmer.

I can't stand the way Hamilton compares himself to Senna time and time again. I done know of any other driver who has ever done that. Having an idol is fine, most do, but a direct comparison is pretty arrogant. Especially when you're comparing yourself to Senna. Webber comparing himself to Barrichello would be fair enough. But Lewis hasn't really shown anything that would lead to a comparison with Senna.

[Fiondella]

I don't think he is suggesting he is as good as Senna

No doubting that he definately thinks he is though

[Fiondella]

Apart from wearing a yellow hat and driving a McLaren

[aroutis]

Hamilton: I see Alonso 'as my Prost'

What was the name of that japanese driver back on those days...

[sav_pap]

With a second place to the Australian GP he becomes Senna. With a win maybe he would be a GOD right now!!!!

[theforce]

Both Vettel and Alonso are better than Hamilton.

Vettel is maturing very quickly and unless we can provide a package to Alonso that let's him fight at the front then Vettel will walk it. He's amazing over one lap, consistent in a race and his head is becoming ever calmer.

I can't stand the way Hamilton compares himself to Senna time and time again. I done know of any other driver who has ever done that. Having an idol is fine, most do, but a direct comparison is pretty arrogant. Especially when you're comparing yourself to Senna. Webber comparing himself to Barrichello would be fair enough. But Lewis hasn't really shown anything that would lead to a comparison with Senna.

Have to disagree here. Lewis can make up his way through the field and RACE (debate-able) where Vettle barges his way, (spa & silverstone 2010). I'd like to see Vettle start from P5 or 8 for a few races, that will test his 'calm' head. Yeah sure give him a fast car, clear track and he'll put it on pole (not into) and go on to win. How many times has he been challenged for the lead? How many times has he qualified lower than 5th? All I've seen him do is get pole, show the finger and win (most of the time). To me he doesn't deserve to be WDC if he continues his wins in that manner, just too easy but he's not complaining

Vettle better than Lewis, I don't think so, yet. Vettle is much more fun in the mid-field.

[Agron]

Senna and Prost were head and shoulders above the rest of that era, but I feel they have been mythified as best ever, and while that may be true, it's more likely the young generations are better drivers than the older ones, simply because theres more people competition now. Some pretty respected person in F1 said that the best F1 driver in the world isn't driving in F1, and he is right, we are 6 billion people on earth and only a few hundred thousand ever get into carts or have the will and resources to do so; the fact 90% of drivers is white is pretty self explanatory.
Of course, by a freak of chance, Fangio could have been the best driver that will ever be, from all past, present and future generations the best at driving a car if everyone had been given a chance, but more likely, he would be pretty average by todays standards, and in the future, when millions have access to carting and getting into F1 or whatever the top of motorsports is called then, it's likely their top drivers will be far better than those of nowadays.
Of course, although statistics are almost always right, we will never know who were the best.

So while I think it's foolish to compare yourself to everyones myth as you will be flamed as arrogant, I think he has shown he is good enough to do so.

[LeonKennedy]

In a way, he is right.

Prost was a much more complete driver than Senna. Alonso is far more complete driver than Hamilton.

The difference, btw, from these two was the huge raw speed Senna had. But speedwise, there isn't a big difference between Hamilton and Alonso.

In raw speed I'd say Alonso and Hamilton are equally matched, in everything else: Alonso hands down

PD: I think everyone rates Hamilton so high because of 2007, the best year from Hamilton vs one of the worsts from Alonso in an environment that doesn't helped Alonso much. Alonso, IMO, is the best current driver out there

[Meiga]

Prost was better anyway

+1

[Nova]

I cant wait for the Ferrari to come good..I really want to see these 2 have a go at it...
I hope that he is not comparing himself to Senna..at 1st read it looks it, but after I read
it again, its appears to be similarities...

[Nova]

This isnt a Prost/Senna debate is it? That is a hard one to tell the truth...they were both great yet so different..
Still ticks me off though, when Prost in the Ferrari had the wdc in his grasp, and Senna in the mac took him
out at the start....you remember...

[CF22]

I think the best person Hamilton could compare himself to is that hip hop artist 50 cent.

[scuderiafan]

I wouldn't say he is comparing himself to Senna. i think hes just saying his rivalry with Alonso is similar to the rivalry with Prost and Senna. fair enough.

But i dont like the journalist saying different things and not actually commenting on the quote.

[REDARMYSOJA]

I wonder if this means he's planning on crashing Alonso if he gets a chance.

[Rob]

Have to disagree here. Lewis can make up his way through the field and RACE (debate-able) where Vettle barges his way, (spa & silverstone 2010). I'd like to see Vettle start from P5 or 8 for a few races, that will test his 'calm' head. Yeah sure give him a fast car, clear track and he'll put it on pole (not into) and go on to win. How many times has he been challenged for the lead? How many times has he qualified lower than 5th? All I've seen him do is get pole, show the finger and win (most of the time). To me he doesn't deserve to be WDC if he continues his wins in that manner, just too easy but he's not complaining

Vettle better than Lewis, I don't think so, yet. Vettle is much more fun in the mid-field.

yep agree 100% mate.

[Rob]

In this months F1 magazine. Lewis is being interviewed by Murray Walker. Talking about Webber and Vetts and Alonso. Question before is about Webber then Murray asks...

MW-What about Vettel and Alonso in particular?What do you see s thier strenghts and weaknesses?

LH-Well, we all have of strenghts and weaknesses, none of us is perfect, but Fernando is just incredibly talented. His raw speed is just insane. Great great speed. I dont know who to compare him to in the past. And he clearly works very hard; he's intelligent; he has great experience; he is great at making decisions on the track.

[Alonsomaniac]

Prost, or "the professor" as was his nickname, was a very, very complete driver. That being so complete was the thing that made him so succesfull. When it came to pure racing skills Senna was the better driver. Senna's sometimes unnatural fast driving (beyond the limits as he called it) was part of his unique personality and his strong belief in God.
I am old enough to be so lucky that I have seen every race Senna ever drove in an F1 car and I can tell you he sometimes did things that were considered impossible. He could drive qualification laps that were so fast, so perfect that I remember even Ron Dennis' face with an expression of disbelief.
Yes, Prost was more complete as a driver and so is Alonso, but in my life I have never seen a human being that sometimes could drive a racingcar like Ayrton Senna did.
Fernando can't do that, Vettel can't do that and certainly Hamilton can't.