Lewis Hamilton’s five F1 team-mates so far ranked as George Russell joins Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton's 'natural ability is fantastic' says Button
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Lewis Hamilton has been on the F1 circuit for 15 years and has had his fair share of teammates during that time. The Brit spent five years at McLaren and won his maiden world title with the team in 2008 in dramatic fashion.
He has since won six championships with Mercedes in what has been a dream partnership and the 36-year-old is aiming to secure a record eighth crown this season.
But how would you rank Hamilton’s teammates from the last decade and a half? Here’s what we think.
5. Heikki Kovalainen
The Finnish driver partnered Hamilton at McLaren between 2008 and 2009.
Kovalainen never really challenged his teammate during their two seasons together, with Hamilton winning five races in his 2008 title-winning season, compared to just one for the 39-year-old.
Kovalainen’s win at the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix would turn out to be his only win on the F1 circuit.
Both drivers had a disappointing campaign in 2009, as they failed to challenge in their MP4-24 car, as Hamilton won just two races, while Kovalainen failed to make the podium.
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4. Valtteri Bottas
It has been confirmed that Valtteri Bottas will leave Mercedes at the conclusion of the 2021 F1 season after five years alongside Hamilton.
Hamilton described Bottas as the “best teammate I’ve ever had” and the driver is also his longest-serving teammate.
The pair enjoyed plenty of success alongside one another, winning four Constructors’ titles and are aiming for a fifth this year.
In the drivers’ championship, however, Bottas never came close to challenging his teammate who has won six of the last seven world championships.
Bottas will join Alfa Romeo next season with George Russell replacing him at Mercedes.
3. Jenson Button
After winning the World Championship in 2009, Button moved to McLaren alongside Hamilton in 2010.
The pair struggled with the unreliability of the McLaren car in the three years they were teammates.
Button did finish above Hamilton in the Driver’s championship in 2011, but over the course of their partnership Hamilton was more consistent.
Button stayed with McLaren until 2017 before retiring from F1 in that same year.
2. Nico Rosberg
Hamilton joined Rosberg at Mercedes in 2013 and the four years they were together produced fireworks both on and off the track.
Friction was common between the two, who used to race each other in go-karts when they were kids.
The German said the pair were “pretty close” to fighting each other as they both wanted to emerge victorious.
Hamilton beat his rival to the championship on two occasions in 2014 and 2015, before Rosberg pipped Hamilton to the crown in 2016 and announced his shock retirement soon after.
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1. Fernando Alonso
Lewis Hamilton burst onto the F1 scene in 2007 and his first ever teammate was two-time champion Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton finished with the same number of points as the Spaniard that season, which the latter was not impressed with.
Things reached boiling point when Hamilton broke an agreement between the two and jumped ahead of the Spaniard on track in qualifying.
Alonso responded by deliberately holding up the Brit later on.
Alonso left McLaren at the end of that season and went on to join Ferrari.
Alonso would then leave F1 and go on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2017 and 2018. He has since returned to F1 and is now driving for Alpine.
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