Fernando Alonso sympathises with Max Verstappen over ‘very British’ F1 bias

F1: Verstappen and Hamilton verbally spar

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Fernando Alonso has said that he always felt like the “bad guy” in the eyes of the British media and Formula 1, and thinks that Max Verstappen is currently suffering a similar fate. The Spaniard made the comments in conversation with Motorsport.com after the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Alonso enjoyed a similarly fierce rivalry with Lewis Hamilton over a decade ago after he won the World Championship in 2005 and 2006. Alonso and Hamilton were teammates before the former terminated his contract with McLaren owing to the tension between the two racers and their crews.

Alonso is firmly of the belief that British drivers are afforded preferential treatment not only by the press but also by Formula 1 itself, and offered his support to the 23-year-old. Verstappen said: “If things get a little hot or the title fight is about to get tense, then it turns out this sport is still a very British setting.

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“Almost all teams are British, most of you journalists and crew are also British.

“Thus is it explained that preference still goes clear to the guest from your own country, that he can keep winning.

“I’ve always had the feeling that when I was racing against British drivers it seemed like I was always the bad guy. At least that’s how they wanted to portray me.

“In Silverstone I also heard the questions Verstappen received from the British press afterwards, I could understand his position very well.”

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Verstappen was involved in a fiery exchange with journalists after his crash with Hamilton at Silverstone saw him retire from the race while the Englishman battled back from a 10-second penalty to win the Grand Prix.

The mutual respect between Verstappen and Alonso is not a new development. The Alpine driver has previously revealed that he only watched Formula 1 in 2020 (after his first retirement) in order to enjoy the talents of Verstappen.

In return, Verstappen claimed before that initial retirement from Alonso that he deserved better treatment and a better car then the then struggling McLaren he had been in.

Hamilton went on to finish second at the Hungaroring in Budapest, meaning that he had overcome Verstappen’s 32 point lead in the Drivers’ Championship standings in just two races and now leads the Dutchman by eight points.

Formula 1 returns on August 27 at the Belgian Grand Prix after the summer break as Verstappen looks to chase down the 36-year-old.

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