Christian Horner highlights key similarity between Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso

Christian Horner believes Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso are “head and shoulders above the rest of the field” when it comes to their ability to adapt to changing track conditions.

Verstappen and Alonso have headlined the highlights package in this year’s championship with the Red Bull driver romping to five wins in seven races and yet to finish lower than P2 while Alonso has put his Aston Martin on the podium five times.

While Verstappen’s form was somewhat expected, although not the margin, Alonso is going through a purple patch in his first season with Aston Martin, one that has the Spaniard and his fans dreaming of that illusive 33rd race victory.

Horner has been impressed with what he’s seen so far this season.

“It’s great to see his confidence, the way he’s driving the car,” said the Red Bull team boss.

“He and Max are very similar in many respects; the way they drive, how tenacious they are. They’re always pushing, and you can see that they enjoy that competition as well.”

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He added: “It’s always a great leveller when the circuit goes a bit damp or the conditions vary – then you see how the drivers adapt, and you can see both of those two guys were head and shoulders above the rest of the field.”

The Briton’s comments came as Verstappen spoke of sharing one trait with Alonso that he doesn’t believe Lewis Hamilton’s has – “extra capacity”.

“Only a few drivers have it,” he told The Times earlier this month.

“For me, definitely Fernando — I can feel that, from the way he operates in the car, picking up on little things, showing this extra capacity — still driving at the limit but thinking about other stuff as well.

“You are talking to the engineer but I am also hearing a pit stop by a Ferrari car. I asked, ‘Did they box? I heard that on the radio.’

“But if you are fully focused on your driving, you probably won’t pick it up because you are fully focused on his voice.”

Pointed out to him that he had not said the same for Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen replied: “No, because Fernando stands out more with that. People will probably start hating me for [saying] that, but just that’s how I see it.”

Already this season it’s been noted how Alonso has helped his team-mate Lance Stroll with driving advice during races with the Spaniard was even watching his team-mate’s overtakes on the big TV screens at the Miami Grand Prix.

It was similar to Verstappen being able to pinpoint a ringtone over the radio while he was lapping the Circuit de Catalunya as Helmut Marko’s.

He asked: “Someone’s phone is going, is that Helmut’s?” To which race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase responded: “Erm, yes…”

Horner applauded his driver’s extra “capacity”.

“When he’s recognising Helmut Marko’s phone ringing from within the car, he’s just got this added bandwidth that has put him on another level, and I think the exciting thing about him is he’s still getting better,” said the Briton.