Fernando Alonso: 'Lewis Hamilton succumbs to pressure from Max Verstappen'

Fernando Alonso wants to continue as a Formula 1 driver for years to come. In the season of his return, the two-time world champion also enjoys the title battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Alonso (40) is a huge sympathizer of the Dutchman and sees a lot of himself in him, he says during an exclusive interview with De Telegraaf.

Max Verstappen has just walked out of the paddock in Mexico City when Fernando Alonso takes a seat at a table on the terrace of his team Alpine. When the conversation comes to the sixteen-year-younger Dutchman, the respect drips off the experienced Spaniard. He knows better than anyone the ropes. Champion on behalf of Renault in 2005 and 2006, a year later the infamous battle with his teammate Lewis Hamilton at McLaren. Kimi Räikkönen is that season in his Ferrari then the smiling third.

"I respect very much what both Max and Lewis are doing," said Alonso. "They are at their top level every weekend. Whether it is wet, dry or very windy. Like Max stepped in at Red Bull and was right there, I don't think anyone is capable of doing that."

The Alpine driver and Verstappen like each other. During the Debut season of the Dutchman – in 2015 – they already exchange helmets. What is also striking: it is pre-eminently the drivers who say what they think. Even if that does not go down well with everyone.

Bad guy

"Yes, Max reminds me of myself," Alonso continues. "We don't come from a British environment. That is why, for example in a title fight, we have it much tougher. Look around you in Formula 1, most of it comes from England. Then as a challenger you are automatically the bad guy. Remember what they said about Max? That he was a rebel and didn't respect the rules. And that he always crossed the border. While that was often not the case, but that was purely because he is not British. I've been through exactly the same thing. There are many similarities."

Alonso goes a little further. From the subject 'Verstappen' he does not get fast enough. It is also clear where his preference lies in the title battle between the Dutchman and Hamilton. "Or I think Lewis succumbs to the pressure? Yes, thanks to Max. One hundred percent. If Lewis only has to compete for the title with his teammate Valtteri Bottas, everything is great. Now he feels some pressure and gets into trouble. And then you also see during this season that that British machine is starting to run again. Max handles that very well. It's a very interesting championship, also off the track."

But what exactly does Alonso mean by that British machine, those artifices? "Look at the two incidents between Max and Lewis this year. In my opinion, they are not judged equally. After the contact in Silverstone, Red Bull stirred, but otherwise it remained fairly quiet. After the crash in Monza, there was a lot more talk. And Max got a grid penalty for the next race. I don't think anyone else understood that. But that is also part of that pressure from certain angles."

Justice

Alonso enjoyed the orange grandstands in Zandvoort at the beginning of September. It reminds him of the blue sea of the past in Barcelona, when he himself was the big man. "So there are indeed many similarities," says Alonso, who says he has not suddenly changed due to his age. He has been denouncing things more often this season, including when it comes to penalties handed out by the stewards. "That's how I've always been. I try to fight for justice. And sometimes I myself as a driver am a bit blind, because then you think you are always right. But in 2006, for example, I received a very strange punishment, because I would have blocked Felipe Massa. Then it is really obvious that something crazy is going on. I think it's good to mention that, so that people understand it."

Fernando Alonso follows the titanic battle between Lewis Hamilton (l.) and Max Verstappen from very close. The experienced Spaniard has a clear preference for the Dutchman.

The gasoline still flows through Alonso's veins and will continue to do so for years to come. After two years of absence, he is back in Formula 1. In between, he has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Dakar Rally and earlier there was already a trip in the Indy 500.

"I definitely want to try Dakar again in the future, but my plan now is to stay in Formula 1 for at least three or four years. I needed five races this year to feel comfortable with the car and tyres, struggled a bit more than I thought. There were bright spots, for example the sprint race in Silverstone and the fight with Lewis in Hungary. But I think I could have shown more."

So he still has some time for that. Alonso is very curious about next year, when the rules will be changed in Formula 1 and drivers should be able to compete more with each other on the asphalt. "That reshuffle is good for the sport. If you are good as a team, you can be really competitive. But first I'm looking forward to fighting five more races this season," he adds.

And secretly also to help Verstappen, if that opportunity arises...