Fernando Alonso has revealed that reigning World Champion Max Verstappen is currently so dominant because he’s at “100% more often” than the rest of the grid, following his 11th win of the season on Sunday at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Verstappen won in front of his home fans yet again to extend his winning streak to nine races, matching the record set by four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
The Red Bull driver had to work for his win at Zandvoort though, in what was one of the most demanding races of the season due to the conditions having changed so often.
He mastered it all once again, with Alonso having finished a few seconds adrift in second.
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The result saw Alonso return to the podium for the first time since the Canadian Grand Prix, where he also claimed P2.
It was the Aston Martin driver’s seventh podium of the season, to keep him third in the Drivers’ Championship.
Having won the title in 2005 and 2006, Alonso knows exactly what it takes to dominate in F1, especially given the fact that he was responsible for ending Michael Schumacher’s reign as the driver to beat.
The 42-year-old is therefore able to recognise Verstappen’s dominance and how winning so often is actually “so complicated”, as it requires the Dutchman to always be performing at his maximum.
Alonso believes that the likes of himself and Lewis Hamilton could perform at a similar level if they were able to get “100%” out of their cars, something the Spanish driver seemingly believes Verstappen is doing.
“To win in such a dominant manner in any professional sport, it is so complicated,” said Alonso, following a question by The Race.
“So, to be at the same level as him…obviously, we have a lot of self-confidence drivers in general! So I do believe that I can do good as well. I don’t know about Lewis, but me, yes! [Smiles]. And Lewis as well.
“Everyone needs to enter in a mood, in a state, that you feel connected with the car. Days like today I felt that I was at my best, and I’m giving 100% of what I felt of my abilities in a racing car.
“But maybe in Spa I was not at that level, or in Austria, or something else.
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“You always feel that there is room to improve and you are not 100% happy with yourself, as I am today.
“Max is achieving that 100% more often than us at the moment, and [more than] any other driver.
“That’s why he’s dominating.”