The 2007 Formula 1 season is remembered for many reasons. But nothing comes close to the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso that saw the two McLaren drivers finishing equal on 109 points. However, the season was also marked by many controversies, and one such moment of controversy came during the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying when the falling out between Hamilton and Alonso reached its peak. An F1 insider has recently shed light on what went down with Fernando Alonso during that race.

The tension between the two McLaren drivers reached its peak in a dramatic qualifying session, where Alonso faced penalties for blocking his rookie teammate’s car in the pit lane. This incident marked the beginning of a chain of events that eventually led to the Spaniard’s departure from McLaren after a heated dispute with Ron Dennis.

Fernando Alonso was being compromised to help Lewis Hamilton says F1 insider

Chris Hessey, Fernando Alonso’s former chief mechanic at Renault recently gave us his perspective on the infamous Hungary 2007 qualifying. He suggests that Ron Dennis, the head of McLaren, brought in Lewis Hamilton as a young driver with a plan. Allegedly tired of paying hefty salaries for experienced drivers, Dennis aimed to craft his pilot, investing in Hamilton’s education and Formula Junior races. This move, Hessey claims, opened Fernando Alonso’s eyes to behind-the-scenes manipulations at McLaren.

According to Hessey, Ron Dennis allegedly changed the planned scenario to favor Lewis Hamilton. Alonso, who was supposed to have an extra qualifying lap compared to Hamilton, eventually faced penalties and a manipulated race day situation. “Alonso knew he was being deliberately held back, because Dennis was changing what should have happened to help Hamilton benefit from it, at Fernando’s expense,“ said Hessey as per marca.com.

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“Fernando’s physio was doing the pit board and was giving Fernando a countdown of when to get out of the box. Fernando knew what was going on and said, ‘I’m not going to allow this.’ It was all manipulation to make Hamilton better because Ron Dennis had paid for all his Formula Junior and wanted to create his own driver. That’s where the friction came from,“ he concluded.

2007 Hungarian GP Penalty Involving Lewis Hamilton ‘Unfair’ – Fernando Alonso

While many have speculated on what happened between the two drivers in Hungary, Fernando Alonso recently told the story from his perspective on what actually went down inside the team.

Alonso spills the beans on what happened in Budapest in 2007

In a revealing interview with the BBC, Fernando Alonso recently opened up about the intense fallout with Lewis Hamilton during the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix. Alonso disclosed that McLaren, his own team, put him on old tires during the qualifying session, a move he believes was orchestrated to undermine his performance.

The Spanish driver asserted, “No one heard my version, or the truth, or the facts. I said that I never hold anyone. They just gave me old tires when it was qualifying.“ He also hinted at a secret team radio transcript that holds unrevealed details. According to Alonso, the decision from the stewards mentioned a penalty for an article that didn’t exist, raising questions about the transparency of the process.

Despite McLaren not officially protesting against Alonso, it is reported that several senior team members lodged complaints with the FIA regarding his actions. “And it was my team putting a protest against myself, which is the first time in the history of the sport. So when you put all these kinds of things and you don’t see the facts, obviously it is difficult to clarify some misunderstandings,” explained Fernando.

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What are your thoughts on this controversy within the McLaren team? Let us know in the comments down below.