Back in 2007, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso attempted to blackmail McLaren in order to sabotage Lewis Hamilton's car, and therefore his chances in the race, as per BBC Sport.

Hamilton had refused a team order to let Alonso pass in qualifying, and the Spaniard then retaliated by holding up his teammate as he exited the pit lane.

The then teammates were caught up in a tit-for-tat situation.

The result was Alonso ended up with pole position, but after Hamilton's father Anthony complained to the race stewards, Alonso was given a five-place grid penalty, and so was demoted to sixth, allowing the Brit to start on pole.

He eventually went on to win the race to anger the Spaniard even further.

Following the race, BBC Sport says Alonso met with McLaren team principal Ron Dennis, and demanded the team sabotage Hamilton's car by putting too little fuel in it, and leaving the Brit unable to reach the finish.

Apparently the report also said that if McLaren refused Alonso's demand, he would leak details of the 'Spygate' controversy, a row which the team was caught up in for reportedly using confidential details about Ferrari's technical development.

In fact, Dennis went himself to FIA president Max Mosely and disclosed the 'Spygate' information, which resulted in McLaren being banned from that year's Constructors' Championship, and the team being fined $100 million.

Fernando then apologised and admitted to saying the threat in 'a fit of temper'. 

This was the start of what would become a troublesome relationship between Alonso and McLaren, who subsequently ended his contract, and then moved on to Renault, and then Ferrari in 2010.

"I had to go to Ferrari, I had this opportunity and everyone wants to go to Ferrari. Ferrari wasn't competitive but I still had good fun. I was still fighting for a lot of championships until the last race," Alonso told ESPN this week.

Surprisingly, Alonso returned to McLaren in 2015.

"The McLaren-Honda combination was attractive and everyone was agreed here in the paddock it could be a success," he explained. "So I joined that project with a lot of hopes and a lot of commitment."

Fernando has often been criticised for his career decisions, but as he leaves the sport at the end of this season, looking back he says he would have made the same decisions if he could go back in time whilst knowing the outcome.