Max Verstappen believes that Fernando Alonso faces a simpler decision about his future in Formula 1, as he is at a more advanced stage of his career. The two drivers have not yet confirmed participation in the next season and have also expressed dissatisfaction with the new regulations.
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Alonso recently stated that his continuation will depend more on how much he is enjoying the car than on Aston Martin’s position in the standings. Verstappen agreed with the Spaniard but pointed out that the age difference makes their situations quite different.
“I fully agree with Fernando. It’s not what you want,” Verstappen said. The Red Bull Racing driver recalled that Alonso is 45 years old and considered that, having practically built his entire career, the two-time world champion would find it easier to decide on retirement.
“I would love to see Fernando racing until he is 60, but I don’t think that’s realistic in Formula 1,” Verstappen continued. For the four-time world champion, the situation is also especially difficult for Alonso because, besides being unhappy with the regulations, the Aston Martin driver currently does not have performance matching his reputation.
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“As a true racing driver, it’s difficult, especially when you don’t like the regulations, you’re not competitive at the moment, it’s complicated. Because Fernando, of course, doesn’t deserve to be in P21. Fernando deserves to be in the top five, at least,” he assessed.
Verstappen, who has a contract until the end of 2028, also admitted that the new regulations could influence his own stay, but emphasized that his age changes the context: “I’m 28 years old, so it’s a bit different. I can stop easily, it’s not a problem, but I love racing,” he added.
The Dutchman added that he tries to deal with the current situation despite not liking what he finds in the category at the moment: “I’m just trying to deal with what we have, even if what we have at the moment is not something I like,” Verstappen concluded.
