
Double-time F1 world champion, Fernando Alonso, who made F1 return in 2021 with Alpine F1 team (former-Renault F1 team) believes that seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was unstoppable and now praised Max Verstappen, who has been talented to beat the monotony of Mercedes’ domination in the turbo hybrid era.
Hamilton begins his domination along with Mercedes since 2013, secures seven world titles to his name. Six have been won with the Mercedes alone since 2014, and now the Brit targeting a record-breaking eighth world title in Formula 1.
Asked in an interview with the source AS what he makes of the World Championship battle, the Spaniard said, “Very good, actually. After years of monotony for Mercedes, where it was just Hamilton versus Bottas until the middle of the year and then it was over, to have two strong rivals is a good thing for the sport. For them, it’s a bit more stressful. For those who aren’t there, it’s a bit more fun.”
Put to him that Hamilton is no longer unbeatable, Alonso replied, “He never was. But he used to have to beat his team-mate and now he has to beat another car that sometimes will be faster, sometimes slower.
In the last four races in this season, Mercedes failed to finish top on the podium first time since the turbo hybrid era, The Dutchman made his 14th F1 career victory at Red Bull Ring on the last Sunday – who now leads Hamilton by 18 points in the championship. Red Bull extending their position at the top of the Constructors’ Championship by 37 points ahead of Silver-Arrows.
“They are both at a very high level. When the Mercedes is a little bit better on a weekend, Verstappen still does something out of the ordinary to be in the fight. And when Red Bull is a bit better, Hamilton pulls something out of the hat and is in the fight. They have both raised the level and that’s interesting.”.
“Right now, we would need a very big stroke of luck,” said the 39-year-old of his podium prospects. If it comes, fine. But normally it won’t come. The podiums did last year were very good for the team and everyone’s morale, but in those conditions Red Bull only had one driver, practically, and Ferrari weren’t there – they were sixth in Constructors’.