Fernando Alonso, who won twice in the world on Saturday, clarified an idea in which he appeared to be better than the main drivers of Formula One, saying he had heard the question.
The 39-year-old, who is returning with Alpine in Renault and the ninth certified in Bahrain for his first grand prix since 2018, was asked if he felt he was still as good as the sport. key drivers.
“I’m better,” replied the Spaniard.
When asked on Saturday whether he had heard ‘better than then’ rather than ‘better than them’, Alonso acknowledged that he seemed to understand the question.
“I thought the question was ‘are you as good as you were in 2018, when you left the sport ?,’ he said.” The answer was well I hope I’m better than 2018 because all the experiences probably make me a better driver.
“He was not compared to Lewis (Hamilton) or to Max (Verstappen) or anyone.
“At first it’s hard to compare and then they’ve taken control of the sport for the last few years so I never said I was better than them. “
Mercedes ’Hamilton, the most successful driver ever, is running for an eighth title this year and Verstappen, on a pole in Bahrain for Red Bull, is the youngest ever race winner.
Verstappen could be the man to end Hamilton ‘s rule, just as Alonso was the driver who stopped running Michael Schumacher’ s title in 2005.
Alonso, who was a friend of McLaren ‘s Hamilton team in 2007, said he enjoyed being back in a Formula One car.
“It was a really nice, enjoyable feeling. The first warranty of the year is a bit unfamiliar, as fast as we were, so every time I came to the garage it was it’s a time of curiosity looking at the screen. “
The Spaniard said the ninth was not a surprise, and he was confident the team could make a good season, but that some fast cars were behind him and he needed to get more out at speed.
“We’re very close. You can be eighth, ninth or 14th within one-tenth and a half (of a second),” he said.