Red Bull’s Max Verstappen headed into this season’s summer break with an astounding 125-point lead at the top of drivers’ standings. The defending champion won the last race, the Belgian Grand Prix, convincingly. The Dutchman has been in sensational form in this season’s Formula One, claiming 10 wins so far in 12 races. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso knows a thing or two about being a F1 champion, having won the drivers’ title twice. So, a word of appreciation from Alonso on Verstappen leading a “normal life” despite enjoying incredible success comes with a lot of weight.
“I like Max. He’s a driver who just comes Thursday to the circuit, dresses in a Red Bull uniform, races Saturday and Sunday and leaves the track, goes back home and is still racing on the sim or in GTs with his father or just enjoying motorsport in general but having a normal life,” Alonso told BBC.
“Coming also from the Netherlands, [a country] with not much background of F1. He’s still a very normal person, just loving motorsport, and he’s very fast. I think his attitude and behaviour here in the circuit, he is very normal and I like these kinds of things,” the 42-year-old added.
Apart from Max Verstappen, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton are the only two racers who have succeeded in scoring points every single round this year. Aston Martin have had an impressive season so far after Alonso managed to clinch podium finishes on six occasions.
Hamilton, on the other hand, stood on the podium four times in this season till now. The triumvirate of Verstappen, Alonso and Hamilton shared the podium on two different occasions in 2023.
Verstappen dominating 2023
Despite Alonso and Hamilton’s individual brilliance, the current season has been very much dominated by Max Verstappen. The 25-year-old is currently on a spectacular eight-race unbeaten run. He needs one more win to equal Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine consecutive victories.
“I’m definitely enjoying the moment but at the same time I know that this one at one point will stop, so we need to enjoy keep learning keep trying to improve and I’m trying to implement it again for the next race,” Verstappen told Sky Sports F1 following his emphatic Belgian Grand Prix triumph.
Just like Max Verstappen, Red Bull are also enjoying a fabulous lead going into the summer break. Red Bull are placed at the top spot in the constructors’ championship. They are 256 points ahead of second-placed Mercedes. Aston Martin occupy the third position in the constructors’ standings with 196 points. The current Formula One season is scheduled to resume with the Dutch Grand Prix scheduled to take place on August 27.
