Max Verstappen is capable of winning this year’s championship despite not having the most competitive car, Fernando Alonso believes.
The reigning world champion heads into the final quarter of the season 63 points behind leader Oscar Piastri with 174 available. McLaren clinched the constructors’ championship at the last round but Red Bull have been more competitive since the summer break and Verstappen has out-scored both their drivers over the last three rounds.
Alonso said it’s “difficult to guess” who might win the championship out of Piastri, Verstappen and Lando Norris but believes the Red Bull driver shouldn’t be overlooked.
“The two McLarens have a little bit of an advantage just because of the points,” he said. “I would say that it’s between the two of them.
“But Max is an incredible driver and if there is anyone that can overcome the deficit of the car, it’s him.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Verstappen won his first of four consecutive world championships in 2021, when he broke a three-race winning streak by rival Lewis Hamilton at the final round in controversial circumstances following a last-lap restart. Alonso said the race showed Verstappen is capable of pulling triumphing against a quicker car.
“He’s a four-times world champion,” said Alonso. “First of all that’s not a [coincidence], he’s one of the best drivers in the history of the sport.
“I think he is able to extract the maximum from the car and when the car is a dominant car he can win the championship and break some records along the season and when the car is not that good or it’s not the fastest, he still provides the good lap in qualifying or the good race, the good fight. He’s in a very good level, very high level.
“This year he’s obviously fighting against a superior car, which is the McLaren, but if it comes to the last race or whatever and they are tight on points, maybe in that moment he becomes the man to follow.
“As I said before I think the two McLarens have enough advantage in the car to fight between them but with Max that can happen, as we saw in 2021 when the car was a little bit you know less performing than the Mercedes, he still won the championship in Abu Dhabi.”
Alonso, who won the world championship in 2005 and 2006, expects all the championship contenders will raise their game over the final rounds. “You approach the weekend taking care of every single detail,” he explained. “It’s not that you don’t do that at the beginning of the year, but you understand that it’s a long championship and you can afford some ups and downs.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
“Now there is no room for mistakes anymore if you are chasing the leaders so there is a bit of pressure on that.
“In the same way, if you are leading the championship, even if you have a little bit of margin, you don’t want to lose that point advantage. So there is a different atmosphere for sure on the weekends, but it’s a lovely place to [be].”
This article will be updated
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories – and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
2025 United States Grand Prix
- Horner rumours are an unhelpful distraction for Ferrari, says Hamilton
- Verstappen could win title with less competitive car ‘as we saw in 2021’ – Alonso
- Heat hazard declared for second F1 event in a row at United States GP
- Alpine becomes sixth F1 team to change livery for United States Grand Prix
- McLaren, Aston Martin and Racing Bulls reveal special US GP liveries