Verstappen: Alonso shouldn't waste his time with F1 return

Max Verstappen says it would be a "waste of time" for Fernando Alonso to return to Formula 1 with a team not capable of winning races and championships.

Alonso departed F1 at the end of 2018 after four seasons of struggle back at McLaren, who have improved dramatically in 2019 and finished fourth in the constructors' championship.

The two-time F1 world champion has hinted that the promise of a levelled playing field under F1's new regulations in 2021 could tempt him back to the sport, but Red Bull star Verstappen issued a word of warning.

"Fernando's a great driver … and it would be good to see him if he could come back, but only in a competitive car," Verstappen said.

"Otherwise I think it's just a waste of time for him. But I think he knows that himself."

Alonso's former team-mate Lewis Hamilton compared the Spaniard's potential return to that of Michael Schumacher, which saw F1's record-setting icon return with a Mercedes side which struggled in its initial years back on the grid.

Hamilton joked: "I'd be more just happy that I won't be the oldest here!

"Fernando's obviously a well-accomplished driver. It's interesting to see in the past, obviously, with drivers wanting to come back, like Michael, and it's something you've done your whole life. So I haven't spoken to Fernando so I don't know how he's been feeling or how much he's missed it, but I don't think it would be bad for the sport.

"Ultimately, there's a lot of young kids on their way up and there's only 20 seats, so he has also had his period of time there. But if there's no other good youngsters coming through then there definitely is space for some that are currently here that probably could be replaced. So I would welcome it."

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