The Greatest of All Time debate. In soccer, it’s Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo. In tennis, it’s Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal versus Novak Djokovic. And like in them, the GOAT title will forever be debated in F1 too. While Lewis Hamilton is already considered one of the GOATs—if not the GOAT—Max Verstappen is working toward joining the party. The two have more in common than it seems from the outside. In their debut seasons in F1, they showcased their champion potential; they make close to zero errors while driving; given the right machinery, they’ll win every race possible.

In the past 10 years, the two have (unevenly) shared 8 of the 10 drivers’ championships—Hamilton with six and Verstappen with two. So it’s safe to say they’ve dominated the sport together for almost a decade. But this domination has been questioned recently. Can Hamilton and Verstappen even be considered eligible for the GOAT title?

Max Verstappen might pip Lewis Hamilton to the GOAT title

That’s the question: Can Hamilton and Verstappen even be considered eligible for the ‘GOAT of racing’ title? Given their achievements in F1, this question might be as shocking as Jenson Button’s championship-winning run in 2009 with Brawn GP in its first season in F1.

In a conversation with The Times, as reported by GPFans, Jenson Button opened up about why he thinks Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen cannot be considered GOATs yet. If it’s just about numbers, then yes, Hamilton is already a GOAT. And with the way Verstappen is performing, Button feels he has a chance to surpass Lewis’ numbers and become the greatest. But it isn’t just about numbers.

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“There’s every possibility that Max [Verstappen] could go down as the greatest, but I like the idea that you can’t be the best driver in the world if you haven’t stepped outside of F1.” His argument makes sense because motorsport and racing don’t just include F1. Yes, F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport and racing, but according to Button, the fact that Hamilton and Verstappen have only ever competed in F1 means that they can’t be considered the GOATs of racing just yet.

Button believes that to be the greatest in racing, they must step out of F1 and prove themselves elsewhere. Hamilton has shown interest in MotoGP in the past, having also driven Valentino Rossi’s bike. And Verstappen has participated in the virtual 24 Hours Le Mans race a handful of times (although he vows that his 2023 run was his last ever because the virtual event is a “clown show”). Is there a chance that either of them will leave F1 and pursue a different racing career? 

Read More: Former Le Mans Winner Declares Max Verstappen the Rightful Heir to Michael Schumacher’s Throne to Crush Frederic Vasseur’s Prophecy to Pieces

While they figure out their next step, F1 already has someone who has stepped out, proven himself, and come back to challenge Hamilton and Verstappen again. Who is it? Fernando Alonso.

Is Fernando Alonso the real GOAT of racing?

The two-time world champion retired from F1 in 2018. Or so we thought. He returned to the sport in 2021 after adding even more laurels to his name in the motorsport industry. “Fernando has done a phenomenal job. He left F1 and came and raced in Le Mans and Daytona, won both, then won Le Mans again. I don’t think his performance has dropped away in his forties,” Button told The Times. 

The Monaco GP, the 24 Hours Le Mans, and the Indy 500 are three of the most prestigious races in motorsport, making up the Triple Crown. And Alonso has won two of them—the Monaco GP in 2006 and 2007 and Le Mans in 2018 and 2019. After having won Le Mans twice and participating in the Indy 500 during his time off from F1, he’s back. And he looks like he’s in the best form of his life.

Watch This Story: Does Fernando Alonso Believe He Can Be a 3-time World Champion?

So is Lewis Hamilton the GOAT, or will Max Verstappen become the GOAT? Or is Fernando Alonso the real GOAT of racing?