Fernando Alonso has emphasized that his confidence remains unshaken, even in challenging circumstances with an uncompetitive car, contrasting with recent questions about Lewis Hamilton's pace and motivation.
Hamilton, 39, who is set to join Ferrari in 2025, raised eyebrows in Qatar with a candid admission: "I'm not fast anymore."
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff defended the seven-time world champion, attributing Hamilton's struggles to his dislike of the 2024 Mercedes and the current ground effect car regulations.
However, Hamilton's frustrations have been evident, with the Briton even asking his engineer during Sunday's race if he could "retire the car" after receiving a drive-through penalty.
Max Verstappen, who won the Qatar GP, offered his perspective on Hamilton's situation.
"It's been tough for him to be fully motivated this year because he knows he's leaving the team," the quadruple world champion said. "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.
"Next year will be a new challenge, and he'll be eager to show why he's a seven-time champion. But it will all depend on the material he has," Verstappen added.
Meanwhile, Alonso, who is enduring a tough season with Aston Martin, insists his confidence has never wavered.
"Of course you have to feel competitive from time to time," said the 43-year-old. "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. 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, defended her son's similarly self-assured nature, describing it as misunderstood by critics.
"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."
Hamilton, however, clarified that his comment about being "slow" wasn't a reflection of his confidence or pace but of his ongoing battle with the car.
"I'm not trying to imply anything," Hamilton explained. "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." body check tags ::
