F1's Lewis Hamilton outlines 'extremes' that separate himself, Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso from rivals

max verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Adrian Newey, Canadian Grand Prix — Photo: © LAT Images

F1 Legends

Hamilton outlines 'extremes' that separate himself, Verstappen and Alonso from F1 rivals

The trio have won 12 world championship titles between them

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 26 January 2024 20:57

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Lewis Hamilton has said that he, Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso are 'hugely competitive', citing this as the reason for their great success and longevity in the sport.

Hamilton is a seven-time world champion, and is still going strong with the Mercedes team that helped him win six of those titles, managing to claim third place in the 2023 drivers' championship.

That particular season was dominated by Verstappen, who broke multiple Formula 1 records on his way to a third consecutive world championship title.

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42-year-old Alonso may have fewer championships and race victories than the other two, but is still largely regarded as one of the best drivers on the F1 grid, claiming eight podiums in 2023 in what he described as his 'best season ever'.

The three men have 12 championship titles between them and all finished in the top four of the drivers' championship in 2023, despite Hamilton and Alonso driving in cars suffering with inconsistent performance.

Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time Formula 1 world champion

Fernando Alonso has not won a world championship title since 2006

Max Verstappen is a three-time Formula 1 world champion

Hamilton's supreme success

Now, Hamilton - who is often regarded as one of the most successful drivers in F1 history - has revealed the difference between these three drivers, and some of their competitors.

“I think Max and Fernando have one thing in common with me: all three of us are hugely competitive," he revealed in an interview with Formule1.nl.

"We go to extremes to achieve what we want.

“What else they are like as people, I can't say much about that. I only know them from the Formula One world, it's not like I visit them, for example.

“I think all drivers in F1 are hugely driven. Just for different reasons. Different upbringing, different opportunities, different challenges.

"But I see a lot of similarities with all these drivers and also with younger drivers from Formula Two and Formula Three, for example."

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Fernando Alonso