McLaren and Ferrari Return To The Top
- See 2007 season and 2008 season.
The 2007 Formula One season saw a much more competitive McLaren, with current world champion Alonso alongside rookie Lewis Hamilton. However, Hamilton surprised everyone with a run of 9 consecutive podiums in his first 9 races seeing him take a significant lead in the drivers championship. Alonso's relationship with McLaren deteriorated as the season progressed, as he believed it was his right as world champion to be favoured above his team mate. A mistake by Hamilton in China and a mechanical problem in Brazil ruined his championship. Alonso, however, was not able to fully capitalise on the situation, and Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen took the championship after a strong second half to the season. Räikkönen turned around a 17 point deficit with 2 races to go to win by a single point. Both McLarens finished the Championship on 109 points. Fernando Alonso was placed third, behind Lewis Hamilton through countback. Renault had a much less successful season in 2007 than in previous years and struggled to match the pace of Mclaren and Ferrari.
Ferrari also clinched the constructors championship after McLaren's disqualification.
For the 2008 and 2009 seasons Fernando Alonso returned to Renault, but having little success he joined Ferrari in 2010.
2008 again saw McLaren and Ferrari have the most competitive cars. However, the season was much more open, with winners from 3 other teams. After agonising defeat in 2007, Hamilton clinched the drivers championship in dramatic fashion, overtaking Timo Glock to secure the 5th place he needed on the last corner of the last lap of the final grand prix. Felipe Massa had won the race, and would also have won the driver's Championship if it had not been for Hamilton's crucial overtake. Despite this, Ferrari secured the constructors championship for the 8th time in 10 years.
Read more about this topic: History Of Formula One
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