Red Bull Should Be Worried as Max Verstappen Has a Growing Motorsports Wishlist and He Will Not Do What Fernando Alonso Did

Having been a part of the racing culture since he was around five years old, Max Verstappen has been a part of the sport for more than half his life. The Dutchman, currently enjoying an unparalleled level of success, has often talked about taking a permanent break from F1 sooner than expected. Discussing the same during a podcast by Sky Sports F1, Verstappen’s close friend Giedo van der Garde reveals that the 25-year-old has a long list of motorsports achievements he’d like to accomplish.

Having already reached a level of success only a few have seen in F1, Verstappen is close to burning himself out. During a discussion between F1 experts Damon Hill, Natalie Pinkham, Matt Baker, and Blake Hinsey, Hill cited Alonso’s example as advice to Verstappen for prolonging his career in F1. Hill said that the timeout taken by Alonso greatly helped him continue his passion for the sport while making a strong comeback.

Max Verstappen eyeing glory in other motorsports events

Verstappen‘s close friend, der Garde, recently appeared on Sky Sports F1’s podcast, where he mentioned that the two of them have known each other for a long time, and, he has seen the two-time world champion grow each day. Der Garde also revealed that he knows his friend well enough to say Verstappen will not follow in the footsteps of Fernando Alonso, who continues to drive in F1 at 42.

“I know, personally, that he’s still is in big favor of doing different races.”

“I don’t see him really saying, ‘look, I’m stopping now Formula One. I’m going to do something else and I’m going to go back to Formula One like Fernando Alonso did. I think when he stops Formula One, he’s going to focus on other projects and then he will not come back.”

According to Der Garde, Verstappen wants to try and win races like the Le Mans, Daytona, and The MF Autobody 24 Hours of iLamuna. He further asserts that Verstappen is not just an F1 driver but a racer through and through. As such, the two-time defending world champion will look to explore more horizons in the sport rather than making a comeback to F1.

Fernando Alonso’s time away from the F1 helped him make a strong comeback

After a disappointing stint with McLaren, Alonso opted to step away from F1 after the 2018 season. Although away from the F1 for the subsequent two years, Alonso did not stop racing. He competed in events like the Le Mans, Dakar Rally, and the Indy 500. Having stayed in touch with racing, the Spaniard’s entry back into F1 with Alpine was a much smoother process. With the added element of Sebastian Vettel’s retirement, the re-entry of Alonso caught even more wind in 2021.

When he stepped away from F1, Alonso did exactly what Verstappen wants to do- to win championships in racing ventures away from the F1. While Alonso accomplished almost all his goals and made a famous comeback, Verstappen might choose to go down a different road when he turns away from the sport.