Fernando Alonso admits he’s no longer the best Formula 1 driver in one crucial area

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Fernando Alonso will start his 413th Formula 1 race at the British Grand Prix this weekend. He continues to perform at a high level.

Alonso had to wait until the Spanish GP, round nine of the season, to score his first points. But he’s followed that up with back-to-back P7 finishes, climbing to 13th in the championship and matching teammate Lance Stroll.

The 43-year-old has also produced some standout qualifying displays of late. He started on the front three rows in both Monaco and Canada, characteristically dragging his car to the limits of its potential.

If Alonso sees out the new contract he signed last year, he will reach almost 450 races. And unless he drops off, it’s not guaranteed that he retires at the end of that deal.

Fernando Alonso says he used to have the best racecraft in Formula 1

During the official F1 press conference at the British GP, Alonso was asked if he was the driver with the best racecraft. But he indicated that the baton has passed to somebody else.

“I was,” the Aston Martin driver replied.

Journalist Julianne Cerasoli tried to follow up and establish which driver had surpassed Alonso, but there wasn’t time. It wouldn’t have been a surprise if he’d picked Max Verstappen.

Verstappen has been guilty of excessive aggression at times, which is why he racked up 11 of the 12 permitted penalty points in the space of a year. But it’s also extremely rare that a driver is able to keep him behind when he tries to get by.

His move on Oscar Piastri at the start of the Emilia Romagna GP is perhaps the leading contender for overtake of the year.

Alonso has warmly praised Verstappen this year as he tries to compete with the dominant McLaren cars. After the Dutchman’s epic pole lap in Japan, the veteran commented ‘only he can do that’.

Is Fernando Alonso looking to leave Aston Martin?

Adrian Newey is already helping Aston Martin, even though he’s focused on 2026. The presence of the legendary designer should, in theory, give Alonso hope of winning another title.

It’s been nearly 20 years since he won the second of his back-to-back championships at Renault.

Surprisingly, then, there’s talk that Alonso is trying to ‘jump elsewhere’. It’s possible that he has concerns over the Aston project, or wants a larger contract.

But he may also feel undervalued as Aston Martin chase Verstappen. With Lance Stroll, the owner’s son, occupying the other seat, he would most likely be the driver sacrificed.