Alonso gives Hamilton a hard time: 'Only two drivers who are special'

Fernando Alonso received many positive reactions about his return to Formula 1. The Spanish driver is visibly enjoying his time at Alpine and doesn't hide the fact that he is a big fan of George Russell and Max Verstappen.

The Alpine driver expressed on several occasions last year how much he enjoys both drivers. "Those are the two drivers who are special, who make the difference and who get more out of the actual performance of their cars," he reiterated in conversation with F1insider.com. "The rest of the drivers only get the results that match the performance of their cars."

As a two-time world champion, he is closely following the title battle between Verstappen and Hamilton. The pair have kept each other in balance all season, keeping it exciting as to which driver will hold the top prize at the end of the season.

Alonso personally thinks he could still compete in a big team, although he has respect for Hamilton and Verstappen. "That's hard to answer. But yes, I would rely on myself to race for the title. But Lewis and Max are doing great in their teams. So there's no clear answer to that."