Verstappen holds off Alonso’s charge to claim pole for the Monaco Grand Prix, saying, “I like to see Fernando win”

Alonso put up a strong effort, and Verstappen acknowledged that he too would like to see the Spaniard win again.

Fernando Alonso, the veteran driver of an Aston Martin, lost out to current Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen for pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday. Alonso put up a terrific performance, and Verstappen acknowledged that he too would like to see the Spaniard win again.

Like Verstappen, Fernando Alonso is a two-time world champion but hasn’t won since his stint at Ferrari more than ten years ago. Alonso, 41, is confounding expectations with his extraordinary abilities, competing against the dominant Red Bull squad in his competitive Aston Martin.

Prior to Verstappen’s jaw-dropping run, which gave him the pole position, Alonso had been holding provisional pole position. Verstappen will now start alongside Alonso on the front row. Alonso joked during a press conference that Verstappen may help him by getting off to a bad start in the race on Sunday.

Verstappen smiled in recognition of the humorous remark and retorted, “I mean, I like to see Fernando win, but I also like to see myself win. It’s a difficult decision; I’ll consider it.

The 25-year-old Verstappen lauded Alonso, saying he had grown up watching the Spaniard compete in Formula One and loved the way he drove. Verstappen thought Alonso set a fantastic example for ambitious drivers and found his longevity in the sport to be impressive.

Verstappen said, “For me, it’s incredibly amazing and I think it’s a great example for others out there. I grew up watching Fernando in F1, and I enjoyed his style. You may demonstrate something similar to what he is doing right now if you remain dedicated, trust in yourself, and believe in the possibilities that present themselves to you. Of course, you also need a lot of raw, natural skill for it.

Since joining the Aston Martin squad this season, Alonso has finished fourth in four out of five races. He has the chance to outperform those outcomes in the race on Sunday. Alonso also emphasised the significance of demonstrating his speed to a new audience of fans who have been riveted by the Netflix docuseries “Drive to Survive,” as they could have only seen him competing in less competitive vehicles.

Perhaps they only saw me competing for Q3s or something similar, or maybe they thought I was retiring with some smoke at the rear, said Alonso. Now that I’m battling a little bit closer to the front, I believe they are startled.

Verstappen and Alonso, both accomplished racers with a strong desire to win on the renowned street circuit, are expected to engage in an entertaining battle during the Monaco Grand Prix. While acknowledging Alonso’s accomplishments and longevity, Verstappen is still focused on winning the race. Fans of all ages are anticipated to be enthralled by the race as they watch these amazing drivers compete for victory.