What is the one area where Fernando Alonso is better than Lewis Hamilton? Max Verstappen answers

Max Verstappen recently stated that Fernando Alonso has extra capacity to read the race and what other teams and drivers are doing, something he does not feel Lewis Hamilton has.

The Dutchman explained how Alonso can focus on other aspects of the race while still driving to the absolute limit. Speaking to the British publication The Times, Verstappen stated that Alonso is one of the very few drivers who has the ability to do so.

He said:

“I do like to think that having extra capacity is a big advantage in F1,” Verstappen said. “You cannot train that kind of thing. Only a few drivers have it. For me, definitely Fernando [Alonso] — I can feel that, from the way he operates in the car, picking up on little things, showing this extra capacity — still driving at the limit but thinking about other stuff as well.”

Verstappen explained how a driver can overhear another team making a pitstop and think of possible strategies that could help him. He said:

“You are talking to the engineer but I am also hearing a pit stop by a Ferrari car,” he said. "I asked, ‘Did they box? I heard that on the radio.’ But if you are fully focused on your driving, you probably won’t pick it up because you are fully focused on his voice.”

When asked about whether Lewis Hamilton has the same ability, the 25-year-old disagreed. Though he admits that several people might hate him for saying that the seven-time world champion does not focus on other aspects of the race, he did not hesitate to express his opinion.

“No, because Fernando stands out more with that. People will probably start hating me for [saying] that, but just that’s how I see it.”

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Max Verstappen lauded Fernando Alonso for still performing at a high level

Max Verstappen has nothing but praise for Fernando Alonso. The defending world champion mentioned that he liked Alonso's style and always looked up to the Spanish driver growing up. The Red Bull driver said that he was impressed by how Alonso can still perform at such a high level even after being the oldest driver on the grid. In the post-qualifying press conference during the Monaco GP, the Dutchman said:

"I grew up watching Fernando in F1 and I liked his style and for him to still be here at 41 it’s very impressive. I think it’s a great example for people out there, if you stay committed and believe in yourself, and believe in the opportunities that come to you, then you can show something like he’s doing right now. But, of course, you need also a lot of natural raw talent with that.”

Both drivers engaged in a thrilling battle during the qualifying session at Monaco, with both drivers setting lap times on fire during Q3. Verstappen managed to go eight hundredths of a second quicker than Alonso, taking pole position and eventually winning the race on Sunday, May 28.