How Verstappen and Alonso get along: "Like they get to play in the schoolyard"

Pedro de la Rosa understands why Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso get along so well. The Spanish former Formula 1 driver knows that both Verstappen and Alonso are very hungry and have devoted their entire lives to motorsport. That's why both gentlemen can be successful in the pinnacle of racing, De la Rosa explains to De Telegraaf.

"Fernando and Max are SO hungry. Only the win counts and their whole lives revolve around motorsport and the love for it," the 52-year-old says. A second place is not enough for such drivers. "But Fernando has learned over the years that he always has to go for the best possible result. That he can't blame himself if he concludes afterwards that there was nothing more to give. That gives him the motivation to keep going. And that's why he is doing so well in the championship standings."

Alonso is currently third in the championship, while Verstappen is far ahead and has a significant advantage with his equipment. A truly equal battle between these two top drivers hasn't happened yet. "It doesn't matter so much what we want. I think the beauty lies in the fact that Max and Fernando would also love it if they could fight each other," De la Rosa continues.

The former F1 driver then outlines how Alonso and Verstappen view racing. "When it's Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM, for Max and Fernando, it's like being at school and the teacher says the work is done and you can go play in the schoolyard. That's how they feel. They want to have fun on the track. With their helmets on, that's the only thing that matters, and all the PR events become a thing of the past. They are fighters, gladiators. They wouldn't want anything else."

"The stories that Verstappen would drive an illegal engine"

De la Rosa is an old acquaintance of the Verstappens. The Spaniard was Jos Verstappen's teammate at Arrows in 2000. "When Max was active in karting, everyone was already talking about him. I remember meeting Jos at the Spanish Grand Prix once, and I told him that many people believed Max was very good. Jos was still very cautious back then and said that it's a complicated world, and he didn't yet know how strong Max really was. That's when I said, 'Come on, Jos, I don't work for the press!' He looked at me and simply said, 'Yes, he's good.'"

De la Rosa recalls that Verstappen's exceptional performance in karting led to unfounded theories about his speed. "In karts, he stood out so much that there were rumors at the time that Max was using an illegal engine. Well, you might be able to do that for one race, but not in every race on every circuit. Only if you are very talented you can reach the top. And Max has proven that."