Verstappen greatly admires Alonso: 'Could have had eight world titles!'

Max Verstappen has Fernando Alonso in his top five best drivers in Formula 1 history. Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, the Dutchman explained why he values the Spaniard so much. According to the reigning world champion, Alonso could even have had eight world titles.

World titles don't really matter, is the tendency with Verstappen. He says the Aston Martin driver could have had quite a few more than he has now. "Alonso could have had eight world titles if he had had a bit more luck in his career by making the right decisions at the right time. So, no, titles don't matter...," Verstappen explained.

The Red Bull driver, with three Formula One world titles under his belt, explains why he feels titles don't matter. "It's not just about titles and it's the same in all sports. The one who has won six Champions Leagues or one or two World Cups is the best player? Not necessarily. It's a team effort that has to come together and that's why I think Alonso is definitely one of the best drivers in history because wherever he went, he was always very, very fast."

Not only is Alonso unique in Formula 1, but also in other racing classes, Verstappen knows. "You need the material to win races and unfortunately he didn't always have that. Fernando is a fighter. He is also very versatile because he can drive many different cars: F1, rally, Dakar, endurance racing, and he has always been fast in all disciplines. That's something few drivers can do."