Hamilton praises 'big' Alonso for Brazil gesture

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton has praised former team-mate and rival Fernando Alonso for burying the hatchet and congratulating him on becoming F1's youngest champion.

Hamilton told reporters at Mercedes' annual 'Stars and Cars' event in Stuttgart on Saturday that the Spaniard had visited him in the McLaren garage after the title-deciding race in Brazil.

Alonso, who had a spectacular falling out with McLaren and Hamilton in 2007 and is now back at Renault, had said previously that he would prefer any team other than his former employers to win the title.

The Spaniard had been F1's youngest champion until the 23-year-old Hamilton beat Ferrari's Felipe Massa by a single point at Interlagos.

"It was great to see him in the garage," said Hamilton of the double champion.

"He came over as I saw my team, I turned round and he was there, just to wish me congratulations. Then he said congratulations to the rest of the team.

"I had a huge amount of respect for him already, but it took a big man to come and do that so I was very thankful to him."