It’s no secret that Fernando Alonso is a fan of Max Verstappen and the level of performance he consistently delivers. In the lead-up to the Bahrain Grand Prix, Alonso once again expressed his admiration for Verstappen’s impressive victory in Japan.
“Max is currently the best driver among us all, I’ve been saying this for years,” said the Spanish racer. He has watched Verstappen grow from his first steps in Formula 1 to become a four-time world champion. Alonso added, “And he has now reached a level that none of us can match.”
According to Alonso, the victory in Japan is a prime example. It was a win that the Aston Martin driver thoroughly enjoyed. “I appreciate it when someone manages to win a Grand Prix without having the best car. Because everyone seems to agree on that last point.”
Alonso praises Verstappen for the way he achieves success in races and seasons where he is not the best. “Of course, there have been years of dominance by teams and drivers. But that was not the case with Max. He faced competition last year, in 2021 for instance, also with Lewis Hamilton. Except for 2023 (when Verstappen won nineteen out of the 22 Grand Prix races), he has always had to fight for his success.”
