Singapore GP: Max Verstappen praises 'unlucky' Fernando Alonso as record nears

Max Verstappen has no doubt that Fernando Alonso would have added to his two Formula 1 world championships if he had a title winning car under him. The Spaniard won his titles in 2005 and 2006, but failed to add to it despite coming close on a number of occasions.

The Red Bull Racing driver will likely join the Spaniard as a two-time champion in 2022 after winning 11 of the first 16 races. It is just a matter of time before the Dutchman is crowned, and it is even possible at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix if results go his way.

Speaking earlier on Thursday, Alonso praised Verstappen, and hoped the Dutch racer had better luck than him after he claims his second title. The Spaniard came close on three occasions during his stint with Ferrari, but a combination of bad luck and strategy errors denied him a third title.

However, Alonso is also guilty of making wrong decisions during his career, which resulted in the Spaniard missing out on potential title opportunities. The 40-year-old saw the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton win multiple titles during the same period.

"In F1, you need a bit of luck, and you need to have the luck that you make the right decision and then have a dominant car for a long time," Verstappen said, as quoted on Crash.

"Because I mean, obviously, if you would have put Fernando in the cars where other people have won championships with, he would have done the same. But that's not how F1 works. At the end of the day, he still won two titles so I think he's done very well for himself."

Verstappen, meanwhile, is not overly focused on claiming his second Drivers' title at the Singapore Grand Prix. While it is possible mathematically, it is a long shot as closest title contenders Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez have to finish outside the points.

The Dutchman is keen to simply enjoy F1's return to the Marina Bay Circuit, and continue his five-race winning streak. However, if it is not this weekend in Singapore, he is almost certain to claim the title the following Sunday at the Japanese Grand Prix.

"I don't really think about it. It's quite a long shot. I just want to enjoy the weekend, and of course, try to win," the 2021 champion said. "I think [Suzuka will be] my first proper opportunity to win the title. So I'm looking forward to Singapore right now, but I'm also very excited for next week."