Max Verstappen admits he WANTS one F1 rival to win this season

Max Verstappen

Verstappen admits he WANTS one F1 rival to win this season

Max Verstappen has so far dominated the 2023 season and looks set to win a third consecutive title

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Wednesday 21 June 2023 08:57

Max Verstappen has revealed that he will be cheering on rival Fernando Alonso for the rest of the season to claim a race win.

The Dutchman has so far dominated the 2023 campaign taking five wins from seven races to build up an already big 53-point lead in the world championship in front of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.

However, this season has seen Fernando Alonso bounce back from years of being within the wilderness of F1 to emerge near the front again and has taken five podiums from the first seven races of the season.

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It’s now been over 10 years since the Spaniard last claimed a Formula One victory though owing to being let down by cars being unable to have a genuine chance to challenge for wins.

Backing the Spanish star

The 2005 and 2006 world champion has a keen supporter in Verstappen though who is still in awe of the 41-year-old’s world class ability when asked what driver he wanted most to see win.

"Fernando [Alonso]", he responded in an instant. "I like him, he's a real driver, he deserves it, he never gives up, you can see that. It's been a lot of years where he had a car that he was only in the midfield with, but he's an animal, and if you ask me for a driver who I want to win a race this year, it's Fernando".

It could be easier said than done for Alonso though, whose Aston Martin team have already been the surprise package of the season after leaping ahead of most of the field including Mercedes and Ferrari to challenge Red Bull.

Verstappen and Alonso have shared the podium multiple times this season

So far though the defending constructors’ champions have won all seven races this term, with Perez claiming the other two victories in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan.

Despite Red Bull’s pace advantage though, Verstappen has still ruled out the possibility of the team winning every race.

"I don't think that's possible, if you look at it now, it's realistic as fast as the car is, but I think there was only one year in which McLaren only failed to win one race, and before there were fewer races than now, yes I don't see it as possible. Last year was crazy with fifteen wins, but the important thing is to win the championship."