Alonso claims Verstappen will 'make the difference' in title fight

F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso weighs in on the title fight between McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, claiming that Max Verstappen "will make the difference."

The former McLaren driver has shared some advice to the young McLaren duo battling it out for the title, refuting suggestions that the scenario is similar to the 2007 championship.

Alonso has put faith in Verstappen's reinvigorated chances of winning his fifth consecutive title, acknowledging Red Bull's comeback since the early stages of the season.

Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso in Canada - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Alonso shared in the Thursday press conference: "McLaren was dominant and Red Bull was struggling on car pace for the middle of the season.

"Now they seem to find a little bit of the right direction with the car.

"And when the car is, you know, close enough, Max will make the difference."

McLaren's dominance in the first half of the season led to Piastri and Norris racking up over 300 points each.

Piastri currently holds a slim lead in the Drivers' Standings with seven wins and 14 podiums so far, while Norris falls only 14 points behind with five wins and 15 podiums.

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However, none of this matters as their form has dropped off since the summer break with neither McLaren driver earning a single win since Zandvoort.

Verstappen has won three of the last four races and is heading into the Mexican Grand Prix as the favourite for the victory.

When asked if McLaren's situation is similar to their 2007 blunder, having lost the title to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonnen, Alonso disagreed entirely.

“I don’t know," he continued, "let’s see how it goes to Abu Dhabi.

“These things can change quickly, race after race or even day after day.

“You can have a different contender, but let’s see in Abu Dhabi. But I don’t think the situation is that similar to 2007, I disagree.”

The Dutchman only has a 40-point gap to Piastri, and with five races to go, it may be possible for a miracle.

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