Fernando Alonso Sees Striking Similarities with Max Verstappen

Fernando Alonso, a two-time F1 champion, recently highlighted the strong parallels he observes between himself and current dominant driver Max Verstappen, emphasizing their mutual respect and shared characteristics, from aggressive driving styles to their media perceptions.

Why it matters:

This mutual admiration between two of F1's most formidable talents underscores a fascinating generational link. Alonso, a respected veteran, recognizing his own traits in Verstappen, provides insight into what it takes to reach the pinnacle of the sport. It also sheds light on the unique pressures and perceptions faced by drivers who defy the 'system' in Formula 1.

The details:

• Early Career Paths: Both drivers had short junior racing careers before entering F1 at a young age (Alonso at 19, Verstappen at 17), starting with smaller teams (Minardi/Toro Rosso) before swift promotions to teams capable of regular race wins.
• Aggressive Driving Style: Both Alonso and Verstappen are known for their aggressive driving, coupled with exceptional race awareness.
  • Alonso is famously able to "drive the cars around him," a trait Verstappen echoes, especially in his ability to execute contra-strategies when not qualifying well, exploiting rivals' weaknesses.
• Media Perception: Alonso noted similar perceptions in the media, describing both as "not the good guy" and "not politically correct," choosing to be "more yourself than what you should be."
  • Verstappen is known for his straight-talking nature, while Alonso has embraced a "pantomime villain" role at times.
• Non-F1 Countries: Alonso suggested their origins from countries not traditionally "into F1 so much" (Spain for Alonso, and the Netherlands before Max's success) contributed to their outsider status initially.

Between the lines:

While their career paths diverge significantly after their maiden years—Verstappen's decade in the Red Bull ecosystem versus Alonso's journey across multiple teams—the fundamental traits of raw talent, fierce determination, and an uncompromising approach to racing appear to be shared. Verstappen even admitted to cheering for Alonso as an "underdog" against Sebastian Vettel's dominant Red Bull in the 2010s.

What's next:

This shared understanding between Alonso and Verstappen highlights a generational passing of the torch, where the traits that defined Alonso's early success are now evident in Verstappen's current dominance. As Alonso continues to defy age with Aston Martin and Verstappen continues to rewrite the record books, their mutual respect is a testament to the enduring qualities of true F1 champions.