Fernando Alonso has joked Lewis Hamilton is “getting old” after disagreeing with the Mercedes driver’s analysis of this year’s dominant Red Bull.
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have cruised to a win apiece at the first two races of the 2023 Formula One campaign, prompting Hamilton to claim he has never seen an F1 car be so superior to the rest of the pack.
However, 41-year-old Alonso has asserted that his rival, 38, has a “short memory” given his own Mercedes car’s dominance as he won six world titles between 2014 and 2020.
“I don’t agree at all,” he told L’Equipe.
“Last week I finished 20 seconds behind Checo and Max. Hamilton and [Nico] Rosberg were a minute ahead in 2014 and 2015 - he has a short memory... he’s getting old!”
Alonso’s Aston Martin topped a wet second practice in Melbourne on Friday as he looks to continue a fine start to the season at the Australian Grand Prix.
Once again competing with Hamilton for the podium, the Spaniard insisted that his former teammate is truly being tested now his car lacks such electrifying pace.
“With a normal car, you can see that he has weaknesses,” he noted.
“Before, he drove alone or sometimes with his teammate. But look, he is the record holder for poles and George Russell has just given him a 2-0 in qualifying this season.
“It just goes to show how much the car is still a key factor.”
