4X World Champion Hails Fernando Alonso Putting a Stop to His Villainous Image

“I’m on the dark side.” Fernando Alonso‘s famous words from Drive to Survive have established his image as a villain. Ever since then, he has always been surrounded by controversies which look like a side-effect of the success he has achieved. But while his personality brings him a lot of attention, he has earned his place in the sport.

Being the only Spaniard to have not 1, but 2 World Champion titles in his name, it might feel like Alonso is too much to handle for the team. But Alain Prost recently spoke with Motorsport Magazine and shared his views on Fernando Alonso, which clears the air around his villainous image.

Alain Prost’s experience with Fernando Alonso

During an interview with Motorsport.com, Alain Prost, a four-time Formula 1 World Champion, applauds Fernando Alonso for successfully dispelling his once-perceived villainous image in the sport. After discussing his interactions with Max Verstappen, he talks about his time with Alonso in Alpine. Prost said, “When he arrived for his first year at Alpine in 2021, I was quickly impressed by him. Not only on the track, but also off the track.”

Beyond his awe for Alonso on and off the track, Prost mentioned that Alonso’s approach impressed him. Before meeting Alonso, Prost had heard about Fernando’s reputation and he found himself surprised after meeting Fernando for the first time. Contrary to previous concerns about Alonso potentially being a disruptive force, Prost notes that he was pleasantly surprised, stating, “I was very worried before he came, but he surprised me positively. He was very good, no problems and no political play.”

Read More – F1 Rumor: Toto Wolff in Contact With Fernando Alonso After Lewis Hamilton’s Shock Ferrari Move

Before this, there have been many rumors about Fernando playing games to get his way with teams. In the past, Alonso has been accused of playing political games within the team so that the member favors him over the other driver. But according to Prost’s time with him, this does not seem to be the case. Now that we know that Alonso does not delve into team politics to get his way, let’s go back to what Prost had to say about Max Verstappen, shall we?

Prost enjoys seeing a driver like Max Verstappen

Prost has had his eyes out for Max Verstappen, especially after his 3 consecutive World Championship titles. The 68-year-old French F1 legend emphasizes this uniqueness in Verstappen’s approach, stating, “I like him a lot because the way he thinks and expresses himself is different from the rest.”

Prost acknowledges the diversity in approach among drivers, stating, “You may like him or not, but you have to recognize that it is not mandatory to have the same approach [as the other drivers]. I think it’s good to see that there is a driver like him.”

Watch This Story: “Drunk” Max Verstappen Partying with the DJ after his Monaco GP Win

In essence, Prost’s commendations for Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen’s sporting achievements go beyond their on-track records. And after getting this insight from Prost, maybe fans stop looking at Alonso as a villain in F1. That being said, what do you think of Fernando Alonso’s persona in F1? Let us know in the comments below.