Alonso bravery and speed questioned by "super fan" Webber

Mark Webber has questioned whether Fernando Alonso still possesses the speed and bravery of his 25-year-old title-winning self following his return to F1 this year.

Following a two-season hiatus after initially quitting F1 at the end of 2018, Alonso could not have been better prepared for his comeback with Alpine.

But the 39-year-old Spanish driver has struggled so far with a team that has been off the pace of the leading midfield outfits in McLaren and Ferrari.

Former Red Bull driver Webber has been left wondering whether Alonso still has the inner performance that drove him to his back-to-back championships in 2005 and 2006.

"I'm a super fan of Fernando and he knows it," Webber said in an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca. "He was something spectacular.

"But he was worried [about returning] because he knew that it would not be easy for him. It is a fact that is being complicated.

"When your name is Alonso, Schumacher, Lauda, returns can be complicated. It has been shown in many sports.

"I do not question, far from it, Fernando's motivation. He is extraordinary, very versatile with many types of cars, but Formula 1 does not understand patience.

"It's the pinnacle. You can't just apologise and say 'I need more time'. Why? Because in F1 you have to always be prepared and he knows it. That's my doubt.

"Can Fernando beat 25-year-old Fernando today? That is the question. He is just as good, he has more experience but is he really that fast, so brave? It is a question that only he can answer."

Webber also has doubts over Sebastian Vettel whose switch from Ferrari to Aston Martin has so far been riddled with issues both from the four-time champion as a driver and predominantly from the car.

It has resulted in two ignominious 15th-place finishes from Vettel in Bahrain and Imola.

"I think his confidence is incredibly low right now," added Webber on his former Red Bull team-mate.

"His stay at Ferrari didn't work out for him. Sport puts men and women to the test sometimes, but in their case, it was a very long period of time.

"I think the rules of these cars do not suit Sebastian very well. They are not his type of car. He likes cars with a lot of grip, with a lot of downforce, and he's a very delicate driver, with a lot of feeling with the car.

"Remember Monza in the rain with the Toro Rosso. It was incredible. He left everyone that day. But when there is less grip, with the Pirelli, the cars now give you less confidence and the rules do not suit him.

"That's a problem for him, but it's about being good with all the rules, look at [Lewis] Hamilton, he's always strong.

"I think the stars have aligned against him, and you can see him getting tired. He put a lot of effort into Ferrari.

"People think that I enjoy seeing him suffer but no, I'm not happy. I want to see him do well because it is very strange to see him so different from what he was."

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