Damon Hill strongly disputes Fernando Alonso’s analysis of Max Verstappen’s difficulties in 2026, believing that the Red Bull driver does not deserve this particular treatment.
Read more Would Max Verstappen use McLaren to put pressure on Red Bull?
Max Verstappen has made recent Formula 1 history by winning four consecutive world titles between 2021 and 2024. Yet, this momentum seems to have been halted this season.
After the British Grand Prix, the Dutchman is only seventh in the drivers’ championship, with a significant 103-point gap behind leader Kimi Antonelli. Even more worrying, Verstappen has yet to win a single race in 2026.
At Silverstone, the Red Bull driver experienced another disappointment. Officially classified 20th, he effectively retired after going off track in the final laps at Stowe, marking his third retirement of the season.
A difficult situation for a driver considered by many as one of the most talented of his generation.
Alonso denounces a sometimes unfair Formula 1
Fernando Alonso, two-time world champion, knows this frustration well. The Spaniard has often explained that a driver’s potential can be limited by a car unable to compete for top positions.
As he celebrates 20 years since his last title with Renault, the current Aston Martin driver recently spoke about Verstappen in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.
According to him, it is regrettable that a driver of the Dutchman’s caliber cannot fight for the championship simply because of his car’s performance.
“Max Verstappen is the best driver on the grid and this year, he will finish fifth or sixth. I don’t know if F1 is a bit unfair in that sense,” Alonso said.
For the Spaniard, it is useless to try to convince those who refuse to acknowledge the impact of equipment on a driver’s results.
Read more Two Grand Prix in Las Vegas at the end of the season?
Damon Hill firmly rejects Alonso’s remarks
However, this opinion did not convince Damon Hill. The 1996 world champion with Williams quickly reacted on social media to express his disagreement.
In a temporary Instagram post, the former British driver did not mince his words: “What nonsense! I strongly disagree with Fernando Alonso on this point.”
A reaction that is not really surprising, as Hill has regularly criticized Verstappen in recent years, notably his driving style considered too aggressive in certain situations.
During the 2024 title battle against Lando Norris, he even compared the Dutchman to Dick Dastardly, the famous character from the cartoon Wacky Races.
A complicated relationship between Hill and Verstappen
Since leaving his role as a consultant at Sky Sports F1 at the end of 2024, Damon Hill continues to follow the sport as an analyst for BBC Radio 5 Live. The former driver had then stated he hoped his very critical positions towards Verstappen had not influenced that decision.
Last year still, Hill continued his criticisms after comments from Alain Prost, who compared Verstappen’s direct approach to that of Niki Lauda.
While acknowledging that the Red Bull driver almost never makes mistakes, Hill believed his style differed from that of the three-time Austrian world champion: “Lauda drove with his mind, not with his fists,” he explained.
This mistrust of on-track aggression notably comes from his past in motorcycle racing, where the slightest contact can have dramatic consequences. Hill also remembers his own lost duel against Michael Schumacher in 1994, after their famous collision during the championship finale in Adelaide.
A past that perhaps explains why he remains particularly sensitive to physical confrontations in Formula 1.
Read more Red Bull closely monitors Oliver Bearman in case Max Verstappen leaves for 2027