Ferna🥀ndo Alonso says Michael Schumacher will remain his greatest Formula 1 rival but feels the level of competition grew tougher throughout his career.

Alonso waves goodbye to F1 this yeaꦍr as he prepares for his Indianapolis 500 return a💟long with the final rounds of the 2018/19 World Endurance Championship next year.

During an emotional final race weekend in Abu Dhabi, the two-time F1 world champಌion was quizzed on his greatest rival driver and immediately picked out seven-time champion Schumacher.

Alonso dethroned the German driver when he clinched his maiden world crown in 2005 and saw Schumacher as the top level to beat♈ throughou♊t the early years of his career.

“It’s difficult to choose one, obviously, if I have to say one, it 🎶will be Michael,” Alonso said. “Not because any particular reason it was just because when I got to Formula 1 Michael was dominating the sport. [When] you are in go-karts and you see Michael winning, you are different categories, you see Michael winning, and then eventually you find yourself fighting [him] wheel-to-wheel.

“So💫, those battles were definitely special, or more emotional at that time. I think we had, and probably have right now, the most talented generation🎶. Because all drivers now they are more prepared.”

Alonso explained the standards of F1 drivers have improved greatly during his time in the sport given the more in-depth preparation youngerไ drivers gain during their junior category racing. The majority of F1 rookies are signed up as junior or development drivers before become a full-time race driver and receive F1-level training, simulator and testing experienceꦿ.

“They get more time in the simulator, in different young driver programmes, so they go to Formula 1⛎ with a level that was unthinkable a decade or two decꦕades ago,” he said. “It was a good journey and I have to choose one, maybe Michael – but just for emotional reasons not for any technical aspects.”