Lewis Hamilton shocked the then-McLaren driver Pedro de la Rosa with his strong performance during a test at Silverstone in 2006, by already being as quick as him. Speaking in 2020, de la Rosa explained how he immediately realized the potential of Hamilton in that moment.
Back in 2006, McLaren handed one of the drivers in their junior program a test in an F1 car at Silverstone. This was Lewis Hamilton, who had won the GP2 that year already. The British team naturally expected the youngster to take time to adjust to the F1 car, but Hamilton took everyone by surprise.
After just a few laps, Hamilton was given fresh tires, and the then-21-year-old was already matching incumbent McLaren driver Pedro de la Rosa’s lap times, having never driven an F1 car before.
Recalling the instance during an episode of F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast in March 2020, de la Rosa remembered what he felt after seeing Hamilton in action that day.
“So I looked in the data, and he was so fast through Copse, Becketts, Maggots, that then I just realized the potential of Lewis Hamilton,” said de la Rosa.
“Just looking at the data for a couple of seconds I realized we had a massive problem, me and all the other drivers on the grid.” he added.
De la Rosa was McLaren’s test driver from 2003 to 2011, but had the opportunity to race in eight Grands Prix for the team in 2006 after Juan Pablo Montoya’s exit. The Spaniard did not get the opportunity to sign as a permanent driver for the team, as McLaren brought in reigning world champion Fernando Alonso and rookie Lewis Hamilton in 2007.
Pedro de la Rosa understood McLaren’s decision to hire Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso over him
Speaking during the same podcast in 2020, Pedro de la Rosa explained that he understood McLaren boss Ron Dennis’s perspective of hiring Lewis Hamilton over him for the 2007 season. He also explained how the decision to sign Fernando Alonso was also one that he could not have disputed.
The former Sauber driver explained how he already knew Hamilton would get signed up by the Woking-based team before the 2007 season.
“When the (2006) season was over, I knew that Lewis would be in the race car and I knew that Fernando was signed,” said de la Rosa.
“And I was happy with that, because I said to myself, if I was in, Ron [Dennis]’s feet, or Martin Whitmarsh’s feet, I would take the same decision, because Lewis is incredibly fast and Fernando as we all know, is mega,” he added.
The beginning of one of modern F1’s fiercest rivalries then began within the McLaren camp in 2007, as a rookie Hamilton took the challenge to the 2x world champion. Both drivers ended the season on equal points, and one short of world champion Kimi Raikkonen.
