'What a load of rubbish' - Damon Hill and Fernando Alonso clash over Max Verstappen claim

Fernando believes that Max Verstappen's position in the Formula 1 drivers' championship highlights how "unfair" the sport is, comments that 1996 champion Damon Hill has taken exception to. 

F1 has always been about the partnership between man and machine, and it is widely accepted that it is a team championship. Because of this, it is possible to argue that many drivers could or should have more titles to their name. Equally, this opens the door to suggestions that some may not have a crown, were it not for finding themselves in the right car at the right time.

Alonso is one such driver who, for many, the former option applies to. His two titles came with Renault in 2005 and 2006 as he ended Michael Schumacher's dominance, but he has since failed to add to this tally, despite driving for title-chasing Ferrari and McLaren - among other teams.

Making his point in an interview with Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Alonso said, “Max Verstappen is the best driver on the grid, and this year he’s going to finish fifth or sixth.

“I don’t know if F1 is a bit unfair in that sense. But there’s no need to waste time explaining to people who don’t want to understand.”

Reacting to this via an Instagram story, Hill responded: "What a load of rubbish! I strongly disagree with FA here."

Verstappen's F1 future remains a topic of discussion, with McLaren and Mercedes recently ruling out a move for the four-time champion. In the current standings, he sits in seventh place, over 100 points off championship leader Kimi Antonelli. 

Speaking to the BBC earlier this year, Hill said: "I think if you're not happy doing something, you should stop and do something else. You're not obliged to do it.

"Max doesn't have to do this. He's a new dad as well, and he's been doing it for a long time. There does come a point where the chewing gum loses its flavour a bit. Maybe he needs a break."

On Verstappen's vocal displeasure at the 2026 regulations and Red Bull's struggles, Hill added: "If he's saying this in order to get some leverage on the way things are at the moment, I don't think that will work.

"I think that approach ... people will just say 'Max, go away, come back when you've had a think about it.' You can't always get what you want."