Fernando Alonso may have a new nickname, “Animal”, as he first said he drove like one during Qualifying in Monaco, while Max Verstappen used the same word in Canada to describe the Spaniard.
As their bromance blossoms, Alonso has been, up to now, the only driver on the 2023 Formula 1 grid that is getting close to challenging Verstappen, with the pair recently going on a mutual back patting mission, with compliments flying both ways between them.
Speaking in Canada, Verstappen once again hailed his rival who is chasing a 33rd F1 career win, even insisting that he would love to see him achieve that milestone.
The Dutchman said: “I like him, he’s a real racer and I think he deserves it. He never gave up, you can see he loves the sport, which…. sometimes, I think after so many years of having a car which is only capable of driving in the midfield, maybe you lose a bit of that love.
“He’s a real racer, an animal. If you ask me one driver who I would like to see win a race this year, it’s Fernando,” the Red Bull ace maintained.
Winning all races this season not necessary
With the current dominant form Verstappen is enjoying driving the formidable RB19, he would be the biggest, of not the only, threat to deny Alonso winning in 2023, as Red Bull have won all races so far in 2023 – five for Verstappen, two for Sergio Perez who has been off form recently.
The reigning F1 Champion, however, insists it is not realistic to target a clean sweep this season, and when asked about that, he said: “If you look at how we’re performing now yes.
“But it’s very unrealistic because there will always be things that go wrong in a season that are maybe sometimes out of your control,” he added.
“There was only one year where McLaren was close [1988], one race, and it was less races than now. I don’t think that’s possible. It’s also not necessary … Last year was already quite crazy with 15 wins.
“But as long as I win the championship, that’s the most important thing,” Verstappen concluded.