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As Lewis Hamilton prepares for his 300th grand prix start, he selected Fernando Alonso as his toughest Formula 1 opponent.

Hamilton made his Formula 1 debut back in 2007, his McLaren team-mate for that season none other than Alonso, who had won the 2005 and 2006 Drivers’ Championships with Renault.

The pair, after a few fireworks along the way, would finish that season tied on 109 points, a single point behind Kimi Raikkonen who was crowned 2007 champion.

Hamilton finished runner-up to Alonso by virtue of scoring one more P2 finish than the Spaniard.

Skip forward to the 2022 French Grand Prix and come lights out on Sunday, Hamilton will join Alonso in the 300 club of grand prix starts.

To pick a standalone “strongest competitor” across his time in Formula 1 is “difficult”, said Hamilton, but he would settle on Alonso.

“I think it’s difficult to say who has necessarily been the strongest competitor,” Hamilton told reporters at Paul Ricard.

“Because every time you’re with someone, you’re in a different place in your life.

“I remember the task of being alongside Fernando when I was 22. I was so young mentally and, of course, okay in terms of skill, but it’s a lot of pressure to go up against a great like Fernando.

“I would say on pure pace, Fernando [is the toughest]. We had some good battles.”

Hamilton is contracted to remain in Formula 1 with Mercedes beyond the current season, but Alonso is yet to sign a