Follow usWorld champion Max Verstappen says race wins are “definitely on the table” for Spain’s Fernando Alonso after his spectacular performance at the Formula 1 season opener Bahrain Grand Prix.
Two-times world champion Alonso, debuting for Aston Martin, fought back from dropping two places on the opening lap in some fashion, getting ahead of George Russell on Lap 13 before sneaking past Lewis Hamilton at Turn 10 after a thrilling multiple-lap battle.
“I hope so for Fernando as well because he has had a few years where there was not really a possibility to fight at the front so I’m happy to see him sitting here already in race one,” said Verstappen, who won the race.
“I think also again, I mentioned it before, but at Aston Martin, they really have the spirit and drive, they want to win and they’ve hired a lot of good people.
“So I guess it can only get better for them. And I think for this year, difficult to say if they’re going to challenge for the championship, but race wins are definitely on the table.
“I’ve been in the same position where some races I’m finishing 20 to 40 seconds behind the winners and you still win two or three races a year because sometimes they are some tracks which really suit your car and everything just comes together and you can win a race with maybe sometimes a bit of help or luck.
“But for sure they have a really strong package. And now of course it’s all about developing it further.”
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, who came home in second for a perfect one-two finish for the team, has also heralded Alonso’s “tremendous effort”.
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