Fernando Alonso has responded to claims made by Toto Wolff, the boss of Mercedes, that Max Verstappen had a team ‘built’ around him by Red Bull for success.
The double world champion believes that recent leading figures in F1, Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, essentially found themselves in top-performing cars due to changes in the sport’s rules.
“Hamilton and Verstappen did not build great teams,” Alonso told De Telegraaf. “It was changes in the regulations.”
Discussing Hamilton’s move to Mercedes, Alonso pointed out that the change wasn’t a result of Hamilton’s initiative.
“It was simply a change in regulations that helped him,” he added, making reference to the start of the ‘hybrid’ era in 2014.
He also said that even after Verstappen joined Toro Rosso and later Red Bull, Hamilton continued his winning streak.
“He did not build a winning Red Bull team,” the 42-year-old Alonso continued. “In 2021, both drivers were equally strong. But with the rule changes from last year, Red Bull has taken every race this season,” he said.
“Being in the right team at the right time is what matters,” Alonso concluded. “So I don’t understand what they mean when they say you ‘build’ teams around you.”
