Fernando Alonso on Michael Schumacher GOAT debate: 'He never had bad days'

Michael Schumacher

Alonso has say on Schumacher GOAT debate: 'He never had bad days'

The two-time world champion talks about the man whose domination of F1 he brought to a halt

Jack Walker

Monday 13 February 2023 08:11

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It is the most hotly-contested debate in the world of Formula 1 and only a select few are ever in the running when it comes to deciding who is the greatest driver of all time.

For two-time world champion, Fernando Alonso, there is still only one choice: Michael Schumacher.

"Michael had this tenacity, this willingness to exploit any opportunity. His determination was outstanding," said Alonso, now of Aston Martin.

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"Michael didn't have bad days. Michael never underperformed. That's what impressed me most when I got to Formula 1 and especially when I fought with him for the championship."

Alonso was just 24 years old when he battled his once-hero for the Drivers’ Championship and won back-to-back titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, ending the Schumacher-Ferrari dominance which saw five consecutive victorious years.

To be the man to stop them demands high respect and Alonso himself is considered to be in the debate by millions of fans, but the Spaniard himself says Schumacher was a cut above.

He said: "Previously, in all my career and different categories, my rivals had some bad days and those were the days when you would capitalise – you would score many more points than them. With Michael, that didn't happen. He and Ferrari were unbeatable most of the time, but even when they didn't have the car, the tyres, or whatever working in the right window, Michael still finished second or third."

Schumacher’s legacy will live on forever and, although Alonso's old McLaren team-mate, Lewis Hamilton, equalled the championship record in 2020, Alonso said it’s hard to compare drivers from different eras.

Alonso: Schumacher minimised bad days and maximised good days

"We thought for many years that Michael Schumacher was unbeatable and had maybe reached a level that no one had in the history of Formula 1," Alonso told the Aston Martin website. "But, throughout the history of the sport, we've seen different drivers dominating – it's impossible to compare them.

"Even after a bad free practice or a bad qualifying, you would still find Michael on the podium on Sunday. He had this tenacity, this willingness to exploit any opportunity – to minimise the damage on the bad days and maximise the good days. His determination was outstanding."

Alonso's determination is also to be commended, and his longevity as the Spaniard prepares to begin a new season with Aston Martin at 41.

When asked whether he is any less motivated when driving a car that isn’t capable of winning titles, as is expected to be the case with his new team, Alonso was in a defiant mood.

"I always try to give my maximum. I'm never demotivated" he added. "It doesn't matter whether I'm fighting for fifth or 15th, for me, it's like fighting for the win because I have to make sure that I give 100 per cent on every lap of every race."