Fernando Alonso picks the best F1 driver he’s ever raced against—without choosing Hamilton or Schumacher
Fernando Alonso has raced against some of the best Formula One drivers in history, and now he’s shared who he thinks is the absolute best.
The Spanish driver started his F1 journey in 2000 with Minardi, and even after 26 years, he’s still going strong, now racing for Aston Martin.
Many fans believe the 45-year-old is one of the greatest ever, and with two World Championships to his name, he has the results to prove it. One of his most impressive seasons was in 2012 when he nearly won the title driving an underperforming Ferrari, finishing just three points behind Sebastian Vettel after a thrilling final race in Brazil.
Alonso has faced many tough rivals, including Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. He beat Schumacher in 2005 and 2006 to win his two titles, stopping the German from getting an eighth championship. His rivalry with Hamilton in 2007 at McLaren was also intense, with the team choosing to back the young British driver, who went on to win the 2008 title. Hamilton later matched Schumacher’s record of seven championships, making them two of the sport’s greatest.
In a recent interview with Viaplay, Alonso named Max Verstappen as the best driver he’s ever raced against.
He said, “Max is the toughest rival I’ve faced on the track because he simply has no weaknesses. I’d give him a 9.9 out of 10—why not a perfect 10? Because I’m sure he has some weak spot, we just haven’t found it yet.
“When Max was 17, 18, or 19, he sometimes had too much energy and made mistakes, like going too fast into the pit lane. That’s normal at that age. But after his second or third season, those errors disappeared.
“Since then, it’s been all about performing. He’s been incredible and pushed everyone to raise their game. If you want to beat Max on the track, you have to be better yourself.”