Fernando Alonso’s strange admiration for Max Verstappen: just flattery or a hidden agenda?. Fernando Alonso’s repeated praise for Max Verstappen has raised eyebrows in the paddock.

Fernando Alonso is a wily old fox, and we all know it well. There’s always something hidden behind every single one of his moves—even those that might seem insignificant to others. Fernando is a master strategist… So the question we ask ourselves is: why this sudden need to express such admiration for Max Verstappen? Why so intensely, and why now?

The Asturian driver was careful to brush off any suggestion from journalists that there were ulterior motives behind his recent statements: “You shouldn’t be surprised, I’ve always liked Max.” Fair enough—Alonso being a fan of the Dutchman is nothing new, and it wouldn’t have raised eyebrows had he said it once or twice. But in Japan, he sounded like a broken record, and the same tune continued right up to the Bahrain GP, where he once again declared his respect in front of the cameras.

What really caught our attention, though, was one particular phrase—highly unusual coming from Fernando Alonso: “Max performs at another level, a level we haven’t yet reached.” Maybe it’s just age setting in, but Fernando isn’t the type to melt like that or hand out such compliments so freely—especially when they seem to call his own professionalism and drive as a racer into question.

So what if Fernando Alonso is hiding something from us?
What if… he’s scheming something? Aston Martin has invested heavily in 2026, Red Bull is facing a period of significant upheaval, and the possible availability of Adrian Newey as a designer is sounding like a loud call to Verstappen. What if Fernando Alonso has sensed things accelerating and decided to align himself with the team’s efforts to lure Max away from Red Bull and bring him into Lawrence Stroll’s court?

Let’s be clear—these are just hypotheses, speculations sparked by one odd phrase from the former Ferrari and McLaren driver, riding the wave of rumors that have swirled in recent months around the four-time world champion. Perhaps Fernando’s praise doesn’t require any deeper interpretation—but we can’t help but wonder.

Having a four-time world champion on the team (which, combined with Fernando Alonso, would mean six titles in the garage), along with the group Lawrence Stroll has assembled and the investments made, could be an additional motivation for the technical staff. A morale boost that might translate into excellent performance once the next car hits the track. Not to mention the fact that Fernando Alonso would finally have the chance to go head-to-head with another world champion in the same machinery—a scenario that, on its own, might make him feel at least five years younger.