Put me right up there with the best says Alonso
FERNANDO ALONSO believes he should be considered as one of the finest F1 drivers of all time on the eve of his 300th grand prix.
Alonso, 37 next month, will become only the fourth driver to reach the milestone in Canada tomorrow.
“I am one of the best to have raced in F1,” he said. “I am probably not the fastest driver in qualifying. I’m probably not the fastest driver in the race, or in wet conditions, but I am a 9.5 in all areas, and I try to benefit from that.”
Along with Lewis Hamilton, Alonso is seen as the greatest of his generation, but he has not won a race in more than five years, and the last of his two successive titles was in 2006.
Remarkably Hamilton has double the tally of Alonso’s victories: 64 to 32.
“There are some opportunities missing,” said Alonso. “I could have won four or five championships but, at the same time, I feel extremely privileged to have had 18 years in Formula One.
“I have a lot of good memories. There have been a lot of ups and downs, but winning my two championships was definitely the high point.”
Alonso will contest next weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours race as he bids to emulate Graham Hill’s ‘Triple Crown’ which also includes the Monaco Grand Prix (a race Alonso has won twice) and the Indianapolis 500.
He will decide later this summer whether to extend his £20million-ayear contract with McLaren into another campaign.
Alonso was seventh in yesterday’s first practice for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fastest, ahead of Hamilton’s Mercedes in second.