Formula 1 News: Alonso says he can be 'too confident' in F1

(GMM) With rumors swirling about Lewis Hamilton’s pace, age and motivation, F1 veteran Fernando Alonso insists he does not personally suffer from crises of confidence.

39-year-old Hamilton, bound for Ferrari from 2025, raised eyebrows in Qatar by frankly admitting that he is “not fast anymore”.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff defended his driver, insisting that he simply dislikes the 2024 car and the current-generation ‘ground effect’-era cars.

But Hamilton also seems to be struggling for motivation and confidence – even asking his engineer on Sunday if he can “retire the car” after being slapped with a drive-through penalty.

“It’s been tough for him to be fully motivated this year because he knows he’s leaving the team,” Max Verstappen said in Qatar. “I feel like as soon as he had a competitive car, a chance of winning, you could see him stepping up a level.

“Then there were a few races where his car was tricky and he was like ‘it doesn’t matter’. But I don’t think he’ll ever lose it,” the quadruple world champion insisted.

“He’s achieved a lot. It’s a new challenge for him next year and he’ll be very motivated, eager to show that he’s a seven-time world champion, but it will all depend on the material he has.”

As for two-time champion Alonso, he is struggling in one of the slowest cars this year – the Aston Martin – but insists he never struggles for confidence.

“Of course you have to feel competitive from time to time,” said the 43-year-old Spaniard, “but I do not doubt myself. Actually, I am probably a little too confident when it comes to my abilities to need a result to believe in it.

“If we are competitive and I’m fighting to get out of Q1, it’s not because I got slow overnight. It’s because the car needs to be improved,” Alonso added. “But it is good to have some good results from time to time so that the team doesn’t lose confidence.”

Verstappen’s mother Sophie Kumpen, in Qatar to watch her son win the grand prix, suggested that the Red Bull star is also never shy of confidence. “A lot of people think that’s arrogance, but it’s not,” she told RTBF. “He’s just aware of his abilities.

“That’s more like it.”

Victoria Verstappen, Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen's mother Sophie Kumpen pose for a photo on the grid prior to the F1 Qatar GP at Lusail International Circuit on December 01, 2024 in Lusail City, Q — Victoria Verstappen, Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen’s mother Sophie Kumpen pose for a photo on the grid prior to the F1 Qatar GP at Lusail International Circuit on December 01, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Some think Hamilton’s comments about being “slow” in 2024 were actually not implying a loss of confidence or personal speed, but the Briton implying that he is no longer receiving the same equipment as teammate George Russell.

“I’m not trying to imply anything,” Hamilton said. “That’s just how I felt. Then I wake up the next morning and try again.

“Honestly, I’ve never had a car with such unpredictable balance. And nothing we’ve done has solved the problem. But I know I’m still fast, and I’m battling against factors that I can’t control.”

Editor’s Note: Hamilton no longer has the 50 to 100hp Mercedes engine advantage he had when he won all his titles and races. In the current hybrid era, Mercedes came out of the box with a vastly superior power unit. No one else had a chance.