Max Verstappen’s dominant streak of world championships in recent years has often frustrated other drivers on the grid. They feel they can give him a run for his money but don’t have a good enough car underneath. Fernando Alonso is the latest one to make such a claim.
After Verstappen clinched his fourth world championship in Las Vegas last week, Alonso was one of the first drivers to congratulate him in parc ferme. The Spaniard has always praised the Red Bull driver and supported him during his title battles since 2021.
However, Alonso also wishes to get into a battle with Verstappen. At the Qatar GP press conference, Alonso gave his thoughts on whether he can beat the reigning world champion. “Well, that would be a very nice thing to try. To be in a position to fight for a World Championship”, the #14 driver said as quoted by GP Blog.
Fernando wants a shot at the champion pic.twitter.com/RNslkOFPyQ
— Autosport (@autosport) November 28, 2024
“At the moment we are not in that position and next year is always going to be difficult. But hopefully, in 2026, with the new rules, we will have a new chance to try this”. The two-time world champion showered praise on the Dutchman on how he has maximized his car’s potential even when Red Bull has struggled this season.
That is a trait that even Alonso has, and a title battle between these two drivers could certainly be very close. The Spaniard added, “You always think that if you have a chance, maybe things could be more difficult for him.”
Even George Russell echoed these sentiments after winning the Las Vegas GP. The Mercedes driver was very keen on getting in the championship fight against Verstappen in 2025, saying that it was “about time somebody gave him a proper fight”. While Russell could dream of the same for next season, Alonso doesn’t have that luxury.
When can Alonso fight Verstappen for the championship?
In 2024, Verstappen has faced immense competition for race wins. While no driver had a car consistently quick enough or the ability to threaten his championship lead, he has acknowledged that 2025 could change that status quo.
Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes are all in contention to produce a quick car that could trump Red Bull. But Aston Martin is looking at another season of struggle. Alonso highlighted the same, knowing where his team stands in the final few rounds of 2024.
Despite having started in a decent position behind Mercedes, Aston Martin has slipped a long way back in the pecking order. At present, they are not even a contender for points regularly.
Alonso knows this reality and mentioned that 2025 could be an extension of this season with minor improvements. So, their main focus is on the 2026 regulations which will reset the pecking order.
With Adrian Newey joining them in March 2025, the Briton may not be able to influence the majority of their 2025 car concept but can breathe his magic into the new 2026 challenger. If Newey succeeds in giving Aston Martin a race-winning car for 2026, Alonso has the perfect chance to fight Verstappen for the title.
