The 2023 F1 grid consists of only 3 drivers who have won the F1 World Championship in the past. This includes Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
While the Spaniard enjoys a career revival, he shares the stage with Verstappen and Hamilton. The Dutchman looks ever likely to claim his 3rd title in a row after a win in the 2023 Bahrain GP.
Meanwhile, Lewis and Mercedes enjoyed a lacklustre start to their 2023 campaign. But the Sky Sports F1 presenter Naomi Schiff has already predicted the better driver amongst the trio.
⚡️ Our first @aramco Power Rankings of the year! ⚡️#BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/rtL3WBPWV5
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 8, 2023
According to Schiff, the 41-year-old Spaniard triumphs over the other 2 champions. And with a competitive car, there is no reason to believe Fernando won’t make a big upset this season.
Also Read: Lewis Hamilton Is Confident Max Verstappen Will Win His Third Title In 2023
Naomi Schiff considers Fernando Alonso a dark horse for the title race
Fernando Alonso has been on a roll since his podium in Bahrain. The Aston Martin’s pace in the pre-season testing and in the season opener has made his hype train of fans seriously consider him for the title race.
Naomi Schiff predicts the Spaniard’s momentum will be hard to stop. This is in spite of the F1 pundit being a Lewis Hamilton fan growing up and having faced Max Verstappen in karting.
Schiff said, “Max and Lewis are the top drivers. I grew up admiring Lewis and growing up on karting tracks alongside Max, I know that Max would always come out on top.”
Ninety-nine podiums with five different teams 💪
Renault 41 (🥇x17, 🥈x15, 🥉x9)
McLaren 12 (🥇x4, 🥈x4, 🥉x4)
Ferrari 44 (🥇x11, 🥈x18, 🥉x15)
Alpine 1 (🥉)
Aston Martin 1 (🥉)#F1 @alo_oficial pic.twitter.com/Ubwm96lgmp— Formula 1 (@F1) March 6, 2023
The Aston Martin driver has loads of experience in the sport and in winning. He has over 350 race starts to his name, 32 race victories, 99 podiums and 2 F1 World Championships to his name.
She added, “Fernando is so much more mature than them, in my opinion, that he may even surpass them. He has spent so much time in the sport.”
The W-series ambassador claims the 2-time World Champion showed glimpses of his experience in outperforming other drivers even when he was at Alpine. And in an on-track battle, Alonso always knows how to get the best of the car and trick his opponents.
Also Read: Toto Wolff Under Immense Pressure From Lewis Hamilton to Deliver Championship-Winning Car
Alonso is superior in On-track battles compared to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen
Naomi Schiff credits Fernando Alonso to be an excellent driver under pressure. The racer believes there aren’t many drivers like him. And with equal machinery, the Spaniards would be running the grid
Schiff said, “I think Fernando definitely deserves a lot of respect. He’s the guy that you don’t want to play chess with, because he’s always three steps ahead, And that’s all he’s thinking about when he’s in the car.”
She praises Alonso’s knowledge of where to put his car and when to make the move. And 41-year-old is also a master in defensive racecraft, something which requires vast amounts of experience and skill.
Is the hype actually real?
ALO = 2023 WDC?#F1 #BahrainGP #FernandoAlonso pic.twitter.com/eheeCm5UUO
— F1 StatsGuru (@f1statsguru) March 3, 2023
She added, “He’s spent over two decades in the sport so he’s collected an insane amount of experience. This is the most important thing, as time trumps everything else.”
Alonso is yet to win a race since the 2013 Spanish GP. And with the 2-time World Champion looking comfortable in a competitive Aston Martin setup, it looks like he could break his decade-long gap from the top step of the podium.
Also Read: Max Verstappen Warned by Fernando Alonso’s Team as 2-Time World Champion Hunts Down Red Bull Ace
