Formula 1 grid already thinks title is Verstappen’s – Alonso

BAHRAIN — Max Verstappen's rivals already know he will be world champion in 2024 according to Fernando Alonso, who said Red Bull's current superiority perfectly encapsulates the “brutal” nature of Formula 1.

Verstappen took a record 18 Grand Prix victories in 2023 to claim a third consecutive championship.

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In total, Red Bull have won 21 out of 22 races, and the consensus during pre-season testing is that they have gone one step further with their new car.

Alonso is perhaps one of the best examples of how F1 works in different eras and how drivers must both have the talent to win a title and find themselves in the right place at the right time.

Alonso won the championship in 2005 and 2006 and is considered one of the best drivers on the grid, but his last Grand Prix victory came in 2013.

“I don’t have a crystal ball to know what other people are doing,” Alonso said.

“Max is the world champion and Red Bull dominates the sport. Moreover, the concept they presented this year is also a surprise.

“At the moment we just have to observe them and see how they behave. I think 19 drivers in the paddock will now think that [they] will not win the championship.

“It happens 99% of the time in a career. It's a brutal sport.”

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen said on Friday that his new Red Bull car had taken a clear step forward compared to last year.

The final day of testing should provide an indication of Red Bull's lead: estimates from rival teams in the paddock put the advantage at around half a second per lap, a considerable margin in modern F1.

Before Red Bull's streak, Lewis Hamilton won six championships with Mercedes between 2014 and 2020, with his former teammate Nico Rosberg winning the other in 2016.

Red Bull had dominated the previous era, with Sebastian Vettel winning four consecutive championships.