Formula 1 can be a really intense sport at times. That’s why it always helps to have fun along the way. Ex-McLaren Team boss Ron Dennis found this out the hard way when Fernando Alonso tried to trigger his boss’ OCD one fine day in the paddock.

It was common knowledge around the paddock that Dennis was very particular about cleanliness. He had another peculiar peeve. Apparently, Dennis could not stand people eating fruits without a fork or a spoon. This is where Alonso found his opportunity to get one over on his employer.

McLaren’s former head of communications, Matt Bishop, was heard saying on Natalie Pinkham’s ‘In The Pink’ podcast, “Fernando arrived with, I think, the largest and ripest peach I have ever seen.”

Alonso then proceeded to devour the fruit, leaving traces of its pulp dripping down and into his beard. Dennis was distraught at this. “Not everybody present would have known quite how painful Ron would have been in finding that but believe me, Fernando did,” concluded Bishop.

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However, beneath this happy facade, lay tension between the pair. Alonso’s time at McLaren was arguably not a fairytale, and this was in part due to how rapidly Lewis Hamilton solidified his status as a future World Champion as his teammate.

Ron Dennis used to smile at Fernando Alonso and his assessment of Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton burst onto the scene in 2007. In his rookie season, he was actually in contention for the Championship. That has to be some feat.

Alonso probably realized what he was up against in the very corner of the 2007 Australian Grand Prix. However, before that, he had a few apprehensions about the Briton.

According to Dennis, when he informed Alonso that he was signing Hamilton as his teammate, the Spaniard responded, “Don’t you want to win the Constructors?”.

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This was Alonso not believing that Hamilton could operate at his level. To this Dennis replied that he always smiles about it, thinking “how wrong” Alonso was.

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It is no doubt that Alonso has mellowed down in recent years. However, his exit antics with Alpine probably suggests that his former self is just hiding, waiting in latency. Can Fernando Alonso lead Aston Martin’s resurgence to the top of the midfield next year?