Max Verstappen is ruling the roost in Formula 1 right now. He may have suffered a rare defeat at the Miami Grand Prix last time out, but he remains the overwhelming favourite to win the title.
Verstappen is gunning for a fourth world championship in succession, a feat only four drivers have previously achieved. Juan Manuel Fangio (1954-57) was the first, and three have done it in the modern era.
Michael Schumacher rattled off five on the bounce with Ferrari (2000-04) before Sebastian Vettel matched Fangio at Red Bull (2010-13). Lewis Hamilton has done it most recently with Mercedes (2017-20).
But none of these drivers have dominated in the same manner as Verstappen. The Dutchman won a record 19 out of 22 races last year, and has triumphed in 38 of the last 50 stretching back to the start of 2022.
Martin Brundle says he’s one of the drivers you’d ‘have to have’ in your dream F1 team. He shares a ‘god-given talent’ with three-time world champion Ayrton Senna when it comes to ‘understanding where the grip is’.
At the end of last year, Verstappen passed Vettel to move into third place on the all-time wins list. Now on 58, few would bet against him surpassing Hamilton’s all-time record of 103 before he retires.
Pedri names Fernando Alonso as the best driver in F1
Speaking on a live chat with The Residency, Barcelona midfielder Pedri ranked Fernando Alonso ahead of Verstappen. The 21-year-old won the Spanish title last season and was named in the team of the tournament at the last European Championships.
Alongside Verstappen and Hamilton, two-time world champion Alonso is one of three drivers on the grid who have won a title. But he hasn’t tasted victory for over 4,000 days.
He clinched back-to-back titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006 but those are now a distant memory. He last stood on the top step of the podium at the Spanish GP back in 2013.
Pedri was only 10 years old at that time, but he still regards Alonso as the best in the sport. The Oviedo-born racer will be competing in F1 beyond the age of 45 after signing a new contract with Aston Martin.
“For me, the best F1 driver is Fernando Alonso, with permission from Max [Verstappen] and Carlos Sainz,” Pedri said.
Mike Krack stopped Fernando Alonso ‘tearing Aston Martin apart’
One feature of Alonso’s career has been changing teams at the wrong moment. For instance, he left Ferrari at the end of the 2014 season and his replacement Vettel was able to challenge for the title within a few years.
Alonso moved instead to the doomed McLaren-Honda project, and things quickly fell apart. He ended up decrying his ‘GP2 engine’ at the engine supplier’s home race.
This is one of a number of examples of Alonso publicly expressing his frustration when things aren’t going his way. But Aston Martin have been able to maintain a united front since signing him in 2023.
Team principal Mike Krack admits there have been occasions where Alonso could have ‘torn them apart’ in the media. But he believes his management style has been key in preserving harmony.
Alonso will reunite with Honda in 2026 as they begin an exclusive partnership with Aston Martin. If they can nail their power unit, then it’s not out of the question that he becomes the oldest driver to win a championship since a 46-year-old Fangio in the fifties.
The post 'For me': Barcelona star Pedri ranks one 32-win Formula 1 driver above Max Verstappen appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
