F1 pundit explains how Fernando Alonso will need to emulate Max Verstappen when Mercedes was dominating to win a race in 2023

F1 pundit Glenn Freeman recently discussed how Fernando Alonso is in the same situation as Max Verstappen was when the latter was fighting with the dominant Mercedes.

This season, the 41-year-old Spaniard is the third-best driver after both Red Bull competitors. This was somewhat the same when Verstappen was chasing Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in 2020.

Speaking on The Race F1 podcast, Freeman explained how Max Verstappen already stated how he can see similarities between Fernando Alonso's situation and that of his own back in 2020.

He stated how the Dutchman kept putting pressure on Mercedes and hoped to pounce as soon as they stumbled just a bit. The F1 pundit said:

"Max has already said that he can see similarities with Alonso's current situation with what Max went through when Red Bull was the biggest threat to a dominant Mercedes. I think the prime example of that would be 2020, once Ferrari had gone off the boil."

He added:

"Max said he just had to keep plowing on and knowing that on some point Mercedes would get tripped up, something would go wrong, and he said he fully expects the same thing to happen to Red Bull at some point."

Hence, Fernando Alonso needs to be as relentless as Max Verstappen in order to step up and win a race the moment something goes sideways in the Red Bull camp. Freeman concluded:

"So then the challenge is on Fernando to be the guy that day who is there to benefit. As dominant as Red Bull are right now, it's literally unheard of for any team to win every single race. There are more races than there have ever been as well."

Though there is a small chance that Red Bull could stumble in some race weekends, Fernando Alonso will also need to be careful of other top teams like Ferrari and Mercedes who could bounce back with a powerful upgrade package in any of the upcoming race weekends.

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F1 pundit talks about the area Max Verstappen is better than Fernando Alonso

F1 pundit Peter Windsor recently discussed how Max Verstappen is quite similar to Fernando Alonso, except in qualifying. Windsor claimed that the Dutchman is better at clocking a fast lap compared to the 41-year-old. During his live stream on YouTube, he said:

"Alonso is very much like Verstappen, however, but for one lap in qualifying, I think Max probably has it over Fernando. That's partly because Max is so good at pole laps now. He's just so good, and Red Bull have taken him to that level of operation, and he's so good anyway and partly because I don't think Fernando is the fastest qualifier in the world."

The Aston Martin driver is currently in third place in the driver's championship table, while Max Verstappen is dominating the table by standing on top with loads of points.