Fernando Alonso expects to battle Max Verstappen for the world championship in the 2026 F1 season. The latter won his fourth consecutive title after finishing P5 in the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Despite not having the fastest car on the grid, Verstappen secured the drivers' title with two races remaining in the season. His dominance in the early races helped him gain a strong lead in the standings, which he converted into a title win with consistent driving.
Alonso, the most experienced driver on the grid, congratulated the Red Bull driver for equalling Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel with four titles. He also sent him a friendly warning, saying he hopes to contend for the title in 2026.
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"Congratulations to Max. I hope to be there in 2026," Alonso said.
Alonso further stated that he plans to "intimidate" him in the future.
"Everyone who has fought Max hasn't been able to intimidate him much. Hopefully it will be me [next] and I can change history."
Fernando Alonso has a multi-year contract with Aston Martin. The team has also signed "Aero Wizard" Adrian Newey, who will join in 2025. This could give the team an opportunity to battle for the championship in the coming seasons.
Fernando Alonso praises Max Verstappen after championship win: "Things to learn from a driver like him"
A two-time world champion himself, Fernando Alonso knows how tough it can be to battle for wins in a car that far off from winning pace with his experiences at Ferrari and McLaren.
Max Verstappen was in a similar situation this season as Red Bull lost its dominance at the top. RBR also dropped to third place in the constructors' standings, but the Dutchman was able to keep himself at the top.
Congratulating him for the victory, Alonso mentioned (via GPBlog):
"Big congratulations. This one has to feel very special to him, I imagine, because the car is not maybe as dominant as last year. I think he did an incredible performance this year to put the car in a position that it was not maybe realistic. The best example is Brazil one weekend."
He further mentioned that one can always learn from a driver like Verstappen.
"This is all down to him, I think this year and he was the best. Always things to learn from a driver like him in this kind of performances this year."
While Verstappen's consistent performances helped him clinch his fourth title, his teammate Sergio Perez's competitiveness seemingly faded. This resulted in Red Bull dropping down in the WCC. McLaren currently leads the charts with Ferrari on the chase.
