Max Verstappen makes Fernando Alonso race win claim as hunt for 33rd win continues

Max Verstappen

Verstappen makes surprise statement on Alonso's hunt for 33

Alonso has been back to add to his tally of 32 race wins by F1 rival Verstappen

Harry Smith

Monday 10 April 2023 15:57

Max Verstappen has claimed that Fernando Alonso 'deserves a lot more' than the 32 race wins he has amassed to date, in a public statement of support for the Aston Martin driver.

Alonso's last Formula 1 race win came almost a decade ago on home soil at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix, but there are signs that this wait could come to an end in 2023.

While Aston Martin don't currently possess the performance to challenge Red Bull for race wins on merit, the team's position as arguably the second-fastest package leaves them in the hunt should reliability issues come into play.

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Both Verstappen and Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez have been forced to manage issues at some point this season, and Alonso would be one of the favourites to pick up the pieces should the Red Bull cars fail to finish.

Hamilton, Verstappen and Alonso share the podium at the Australian Grand Prix

Verstappen: 'He deserves a lot more'

"I think Fernando should have won already a lot more races than he has done," said Verstappen when asked about Alonso's race win wait. "I think he deserves a lot more. I would be quite happy to see him win number 33."

Verstappen was hopeful that Alonso's race-win drought could potentially end in the coming months, even though that would come at his expense.

"But I also, in a way, would like to see him win more. So we'll see in the coming races."