Alain Prost expressed his belief that Max Verstappen’s three world titles are less deserved due to Red Bull’s overwhelming dominance in the world of Formula 1. Verstappen’s recent performances have earned him widespread acclaim and many consider him one of the greatest drivers in the sport’s history. At just 26 years old, Verstappen is on track to replicate his championship-winning form from the year 2023 in the current season. However, Prost, a former F1 world champion, highlighted the lack of competition Verstappen faced during his title-winning years.
Verstappen’s impressive performance in 2023 solidified his status as one of the greatest of all time. He left no room for competition and broke numerous world records on his way to the championship. Despite this, Prost remained indifferent to the praise Verstappen received for his achievements.
Initially, Prost praised Verstappen for his impressive victories in Formula 1 and recognized him as one of the best drivers in the sport’s history. However, Prost also acknowledged the lack of competition from rival teams on the grid. As a result, the 69-year-old driver believes the championship’s value is significantly diminished.
Ferrari and Mercedes made several mistakes during the 2023 season, failing to offer any significant competition to Red Bull. Drivers like [insert names] had no chance of defeating Max Verstappen throughout the season. Prost suggests that the key to challenging Red Bull’s dominance is to find a “true number one driver” like Verstappen, as Red Bull did.
Prost described the situation as “regrettable” for Ferrari and Mercedes, as they did not have a stronger number one. However, he remains hopeful that both teams will find the perfect combination for the 2025 season, especially with Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. This could potentially lead to a “great battle” between the rival teams and Red Bull.
Other F1 teams are striving to reduce the gap and challenge Red Bull’s speed advantage. Ferrari is making progress and closing in on Red Bull in terms of wins this season. It’s only a matter of time before the remaining teams are able to offer worthy competition for Red Bull. However, Red Bull is expected to continue dominating for the rest of the ground effect era.