Jul.21 (GMM) Max Verstappen thinks there is a driver on the Formula 1 grid this year who could have even more titles than seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Recently, the Red Bull driver – already a triple world champion at the age of 26 – named Fernando Alonso among his personal greatest five drivers in F1 history.
And in a new interview with Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo, Verstappen explained that just because Alonso only has two titles at the age of 42, that doesn’t disqualify him from being ranked among the true greats.
“Fernando could have had eight world championships if he had been a bit luckier in his career by making the right decisions at the right time,” said the Dutchman.
“So, no – titles don’t matter. People always look at who won the most titles or whatever, and they automatically put them at the top of the list. But it’s not just about the titles, and that’s the same in all sports.
“Is the one who won six Champions Leagues or one or two World Cups the best player? Not necessarily. It’s a team effort that needs to come together, and that’s why I feel that Fernando is definitely one of the best drivers in history. Because wherever he went, he was always very, very fast.
“But you need the material to be able to win the races, and he, unfortunately, didn’t always have it. Fernando is a fighter, he’s also very versatile, because he can drive many different cars – F1, Indy, Dakar, endurance, and he’s always been fast in all disciplines.
“That’s something that few drivers can do,” Verstappen added.