Alonso: Hamilton is a "legend of our sport"

Alonso praises Lewis Hamilton

Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton's rivalry is amongst the most infamous in F1, but the two Champions exchanged pleasantries ahead of the action this weekend.

Ahead of Lewis Hamilton's 300th Grand Prix, Alonso was asked if he believes the 37-year-old has changed since making his debut with McLaren in 2007.

The Spaniard dismissed this idea, praising Lewis Hamilton for his successes:

"He had the talent already in 2007, and he still has the talent now, with experience. He has been a tremendous driver and a legend of our sport.

"It has always been a pleasure to share all this time with him, and back then, probably, no one thought someone will be able to win seven titles like Michael [Schumacher].

"But yes, the journey has been amazing, and the team that they all built in Mercedes over these years, it was outstanding."

Hamilton and Alonso are the most experienced drivers on the grid, continuing to demonstrate their skill despite and (somewhat) silence criticisms that age will catch up to them. 

Despite this, Alonso is without a contract for 2022, and Hamilton's deal with Mercedes concludes at the end of next year, so their futures in F1 remain uncertain. 

This will make the races that remain in their careers all the more important, as the best drivers of their generation continue to strive for greatness.