Fernando Alonso knows what it’s like to push beyond the limits of a subpar car. The two-time world champion has been in Verstappen’s shoes—fighting for a title in a machine that doesn’t seem quite up to the task. Now, watching Max Verstappen claw his way to a win at the Japanese Grand Prix, Alonso sees a familiar struggle unfolding at Red Bull Racing.
Verstappen’s victory at Suzuka marked his first of the 2025 season, even as questions continue to swirl about whether Red Bull’s car is still the class leader. After a frustrating race of his own, where Alonso finished outside the points in 11th, the Spaniard shared his thoughts on Verstappen’s gritty drive.
"I've been there. I've been fighting for world championships with the third, fourth fastest car," Alonso said. "In the end, it's difficult—as it was difficult for me to beat Vettel. So I hope for him he can fight until the end, but they need to improve the machine a little bit."
Drawing Parallels to 2012
Alonso famously came within three points of beating Sebastian Vettel to the 2012 championship, despite Ferrari’s car often lagging behind Red Bull’s pace. That experience, he says, helps him appreciate what Verstappen is doing now.
"But yeah, it's hard, and I think people don't realize how difficult it is and how you need to make it perfect every weekend," Alonso continued. "And he's doing it so far, and as I said, it reminds me of my 2012, in a way when the car was not so good and we fought for the championship. Let's see—I hope for him he can win it."
Rough Start to 2025 for Alonso
The 2025 season hasn’t been kind to Alonso so far. With four races down and zero points to his name, the Aston Martin driver is facing an uphill battle. He’ll be eager to turn things around in the upcoming race at Bahrain, where he's targeting his first top-10 finish of the season.
Updated 2025 F1 Drivers’ Standings (After Japanese GP)
1. Lando Norris – 62 points
2. Max Verstappen – 61 points
3. Oscar Piastri – 49 points
4. George Russell – 45 points
5. Kimi Antonelli – 30 points
6. Charles Leclerc – 20 points
7. Alex Albon – 18 points
8. Lewis Hamilton – 15 points
9. Esteban Ocon – 10 points
10. Lance Stroll – 10 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg – 6 points
12. Oliver Bearman – 5 points
13. Isack Hadjar – 4 points
14. Yuki Tsunoda – 3 points
15. Carlos Sainz – 1 point
16. Pierre Gasly – 0
17. Fernando Alonso – 0
18. Liam Lawson – 0
19. Jack Doohan – 0
20. Gabriel Bortoleto – 0