Verstappen witty in response to comparison with Alonso: 'A little bit more handsome'

Evening falls as Verstappen walks onto the terrace outside the Red Bull Racing hospitality area, where chairs have been set out for the attending media. The sun has already set, but because of the bright lighting around the circuit, you sometimes have to look up at the sky to see whether it is truly dark. The lighting is obviously necessary for visibility on the track, but the paddock is also brightly illuminated.

Whereas Red Bull’s media sessions in Europe usually take place in a huge three-story building, things are generally different during overseas F1 weekends. In smaller paddocks such as the one at Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit, there simply is not enough space to put up large buildings, so some improvisation is occasionally required to ensure that the media sessions can take place without a hitch.

During the Grand Prix weekend in Malaysia, De la Rosa spoke at length with GPblog about Verstappen and Alonso. The former F1 driver was particularly full of praise for the two multiple world champions and said that there is currently no one else on the grid who can be compared with them. According to De la Rosa, it is their passion for racing, including outside Formula 1, that makes them exceptional.

On Thursday in Singapore, GPblog put those comments to Verstappen. Asked about the comparison with Alonso, who De la Rosa believes is essentially an older version of the Dutchman, Verstappen immediately had a witty response ready: “Yes, and a little bit more handsome,” he says with a laugh, prompting the attending media to burst out laughing as well.

Verstappen then addresses De la Rosa’s comments more seriously: “We are alike in in terms of, like, we love racing, And we love racing any kind of any kind of car. He probably likes to race even more cars than I do,” he says with a laugh.

Although the Dutchman has a great deal of interest in various racing categories, he does not see himself jumping into a rally car or IndyCar anytime soon, for example. Alonso has already tried both disciplines, although the Spaniard is not currently planning to get behind the wheel of a GT3 car - something Verstappen is particularly fond of.

The four-time world champion emphasizes that his interest in motorsport does not stop at Formula 1, underscoring De la Rosa’s comments: “I don't think it should only be limited to Formula one. I I just love to have fun out there as well. And when you're still also young enough, it's nice to be able to be competitive in other categories. So that's it. We just love racing.”

The comparison Verstappen is responding to was made by De la Rosa a week earlier in Malaysia. Among other things, the Spaniard pointed to the esteem Verstappen enjoys within Formula 1. In his view, even in a season in which the Dutchman has no chance of winning the world title, many people still regard him as the best driver on the grid—and perhaps even the best ever.

De la Rosa also sees many similarities between Verstappen and Alonso. Not only because of their achievements in Formula 1, but especially because of the way they approach their sport: “I think Fernando and Max have a great relationship because I think both see characteristics in each other that are very similar. Max is like a younger version of Fernando,” he told GPblog.

The former McLaren and Sauber driver admitted that he approached motorsport very differently during his own Formula 1 career. He was entirely focused on the premier class and had no desire to compete in other championships alongside it. He does see that desire in Verstappen and Alonso.

Verstappen is also active in GT racing and is building his own racing program with Verstappen Racing. During his career, Alonso has competed in the Indianapolis 500, the Dakar Rally and the World Endurance Championship, among other events. In the latter championship, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice. Both Verstappen and Alonso have expressed the desire on multiple occasions to compete in that race together as teammates.

For De la Rosa, the distinction between Verstappen and Alonso and the rest of the grid goes beyond their results. He acknowledges that Formula 1 boasts many talented drivers, but believes that only two of them currently belong in a category of their own: “The special ones at the moment are only two. Maybe time will tell if Antonelli is one of them. Maybe time will tell if Lando (Norris) could be, or Leclerc. But for the time being, the only two great drivers that are different are Max and Fernando.”