Fernando Alonso Champions Max Verstappen's 'Fighting' Spirit Amid Red Bull Woes
Aston Martin Formula One driver Fernando Alonso has commented on Max Verstappen's fighting spirit, highlighting his urge to win, despite Red Bull's RB21 F1 car holding him back. The Spaniard admitted that Red Bull has not given Verstappen the best car to fight a championship battle.
Red Bull dominated the current ground effect era that began in 2022, thanks in part to cars designed by aero guru Adrian Newey. The superior performance ensured the team won all but one Grand Prix the following year in 2023. However, Red Bull began experiencing balance problems on the RB20 F1 car after Newey announced his exit in mid-2024.
McLaren Racing's resurgence around the same time meant Red Bull lost out on a constructors' championship victory, but Verstappen managed to win his fourth drivers' title. Fast forward to 2025, and one can see that car problems continue to affect the team's performance. Yuki Tsunoda, who was promoted to the seat alongside Verstappen early in the season, continues to find it challenging to adapt to the RB21.
Verstappen has won only two races in the first ten Grands Prix of the season so far, a stark contrast to his seven wins from the first ten races last year. He secured P5 despite having dropped to P10 after spinning out in the previous round at Silverstone. Despite the car challenges, the Dutch driver is third in the Drivers' Standings below both McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Fernando Alonso of Spain and Aston Martin F1 Team in parc ferme during Sprint qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at...
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Fernando Alonso of Spain and Aston Martin F1 Team in parc ferme during Sprint qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 02, 2025 in Miami, Florida. MoreAlonso praised Verstappen for his flawless performances while addressing his 2025 campaign. Speaking to DAZN, as quoted by Planet F1, he said:
"I don't think much has changed this season compared to other seasons. I think Verstappen has had his best season to date every year.
"In 2021, he stole the championship away from Lewis Hamilton and then he dominated for several years in a row. He didn't have the most dominant car last year and won the championship with several races to go.
"This year, he may not even have a car that's one of the best two or three, but he's still fighting along. He always performs at the top level. It's another task for Red Bull to give him a car to fight for the championship. But there is no doubt about him."
Adding to Red Bull's woes is the sudden ousting of team principal Christian Horner, who served the team for 20 years. He has been replaced by former Racing Bulls team boss Laurent Mekies.
Given the problems with Red Bull's title challenger and Horner's exit last week, it remains to be seen how that will affect the team's performance for the remainder of the season, especially Verstappen, who is being linked to a potential move to Mercedes.
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