Fernando Alonso says 'I'm better' than Hamilton and Verstappen

F1

Fernando Alonso has proclaimed himself to be "better" than Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, whilst also admitting he was worried he would miss the start of the season after fracturing his jaw

Fernando Alonso Alpine

Alonso says he rates himself above Hamilton and Verstappen in the F1 pecking order

Alpine

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Fernando Alonso has proclaimed “I’m better” than Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and other potential rivals ahead of his 2021 Formula 1 comeback, whilst also admitting he was “worried” he wouldn’t make the start of the season after fracturing his jaw.

After a couple of seasons away from the sport, two-times champion Alonso makes his return this year with the rebranded Alpine squad, and has commented on the shape of the field as he sees it in an interview with the BBC.

“It’s going to be great, I’m looking forward,” he said. “There are some young, talented guys that’ve been showing great performance in the younger categories.

“And then we still have the champions. Lewis, Sebastian [Vettel], Kimi [Räikkonen], Verstappen – even if he (Max) is one of the young ones, of the younger generation, he has raced at the top level already at the top level for four years, five years.

“We have a very competitive grid and it’s going to be a challenge to meet everyone on track.

Asked if he thinks he’s still as good as the front-running drivers in F1, Alonso simply replied: “I’m better.”

In contrast to the recent success of Hamilton, Verstappen and even Vettel, Alonso hasn’t won a grand prix since 2013.

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The Spaniard looked to have risked missing at least the start of the 2021 season after fracturing his jaw in a cycling accident, but recovered in time for testing. Alonso revealed during a press conference that he would be racing with titanium plates inserted into his jaw during surgery for the duration of 2021.

However, the Alpine driver has reiterated this won’t affect his performance.

“I was lucky in the end,” he said. “I tell you that I was worried in the moment that it happened, because I’d been waiting all [of] the second part of last year, and obviously you’re preparing for the team presentation and the first test, and then suddenly you find yourself in a hospital after a bike accident – and you don’t know how long it’s going to take to recover.

“Luckily the first answer from the doctors was that in ten days or one week I should be ready to go, so I had to stay at home for one week with not much activity, but after that I was perfectly fine.”

Despite apparent progress shown by the French squad in pre-season testing, Alpine’s 2021 still looks set to be a battle for midfield supremacy, with Alonso pinning his hopes of a third title on the team poentially vaulting up the running order through the new 2022 regulations.