Alonso convinced he is "better" than F1 "champions"

Fernando Alonso has said he is better than the "champions" currently racing in Formula 1, the Spaniard including Red Bull driver Max Verstappen in this number.

Alonso stepped away from the F1 paddock at the end of the 2018 season and has spent the past two years racing successfully in various other categories and disciplines including the World Endurance Championship and the Dakar Rally.

For 2021, the Spaniard has made his F1 return with Alpine. The Enstone based team is the same that he took the 2005 and 2006 world titles with, ending the dominance of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari.

Despite his two years racing elsewhere, Alonso does not believe he will find it tough adjusting back to the rigours of F1.

In an interview with BBC Sport, he said: "It is going to be great. I am looking forward [to it]. There are some young, talented guys that have been showing great performance in the younger categories and then we still have the champions.

"They were here two years ago with Lewis, Sebastian, Kimi - Verstappen, even if he is one of the young ones and the younger generation, he has been racing at the top level already for four years, five years.

"I think we have a really competitive grid and it is going to be a challenge to beat everyone on track."

Asked if he believed he was still as good as the drivers he had listed, Alonso answered: "No. I am better."

However, whilst confident in his own abilities, Alonso conceded it will not be possible to fight for wins this year due to the largely unchanged regulations. Instead, his gaze is set on 2022 and the radical aerodynamic changes.

He added: "I'm back in Formula 1 with the aim of doing well obviously, and the aim of having the chance to win races - hopefully, to fight for championships. We understand that this year it is not going to be possible because the regulations are a little bit different but basically the same as the previous year so I don't see any miracle happening there.

"But I think in 2022 there is a chance with the new regulations of mixing a little bit the order of the grid and we want to be one of those teams that surprises everybody. To do that we need to work hard during this year."

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