Double World Champion Max Verstappen has interestingly labelled Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris as an ideal pairing should he have his own Formula 1 team, with the Dutchman having snubbed rival Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Sergio Pérez.
The reigning World Champion was asked to pick his dream driver pairing during an interview with Mobil 1, with the 25-year-old having wanted to mix experience with a “young guy”.
“I find it really hard [to pick] the drivers, because I think there are a lot of good drivers,” Verstappen told Mobil 1.
“I think I would probably go for an experienced one, so I would go for Fernando. Then I would take a young guy and I would put Lando in the car, so Fernando and Lando.”
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As well as picking his dream driver pairing, Verstappen was also asked to choose who he’d want to run the team, with his answer being unsurprising to say the least.
The Dutch driver would put Red Bull boss Christian Horner in charge of his own team, someone he “would always go for”.
“Of the current people who are capable of being a team principal, I would always go for Christian,” added the Dutchman.
Verstappen enters the forthcoming season with the goal of claiming a third consecutive title, something which would push him closer towards the greatest drivers of all-time.
His snubbing of Hamilton and Pérez in the interview perhaps suggests that he views both as title rivals, with Horner having added himself that Checo “has the capability” to be amongst the title fight.
Realistically, though, Verstappen will likely be too much once again for the Mexican, with the Dutchman having been absolutely imperious last season, by smashing the records for most wins and most points scored in a season.
Whether Pérez is forced to take a second driver role again remains to be seen; however, Horner has revealed that the 33-year-old “knows exactly what is expected from him”.
“The form that Max has been in means he is the man to beat,” Horner told Auto Motor und Sport.
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“He’s the reigning world champion and Checo has to strive for that, otherwise why is he competing?
“I think the reality is that, in all probability, Max over the season is likely to be the [better] candidate for the world championship but Checo has the capability to be right there. We need both drivers performing at the best of their ability for the Constructors’ Championship.
“Checo knows exactly what is expected from him, and being Max’s teammate is a pretty daunting prospect for any driver.”