As he prepares to begin, at 41, a new chapter in his F1 career with Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso believes that he is starting “from zero”.
Next year, Fernando Alonso will drive for his sixth different team in Formula 1. The Spaniard, who started in 2001 with Minardi, will indeed join Aston Martin for what might be the ultimate challenge of his long career in the queen discipline.
The one who has not known the joys of the world title since 2005 and 2006 with Renault and victory since 2013 with Ferrari knows that he now faces an important mountain to climb. And at 41, he believes that this choice simply equates to “start once more from the beggining” following two years in the Enstone factory under the colors ofAlpine.
“I’m starting from scratch. I’m aware of it”he told Auto Motor und Sport, while emphasizing the potential of his future team. “Despite everything, Aston Martin has a good platform. They have very good people and are building a new factory with new equipment.
In what may be like a small spade, the double World Champion does not fail to highlight his work at Alpine: “I leave with Alpine a lot of good things that we have developed together over the last two years. It’s no secret that last year I had problems with the feedback from the power steering. Now, “She’s perfect. Every driver who’s driven the Alpine since has praised the feedback from the steering. But that’s the upside of hiring Alonso and the downside of letting him go.”
Also asked regarding his motivation despite the passing years and seasons during which he does not have very competitive cars, Alonso explains: “I love what I do. Of course, I would like to have a car with which I can challenge for the title. But there is no place for me. From what was on the market, Aston Martin is one of the teams that can achieve this goal in two or three years. It’s important at my age. I don’t have eternity ahead of me. As long as there is even one percent chance of winning the title once more, I will continue.”
[Je courrai] as long as I still feel capable of giving 100%. So definitely another two or three years.
Fernando Alonso
He even hints that he is not ruling out a leadership role in the future: “And if that doesn’t work as a driver, then maybe in a role outside of the car. If we then become World Champions, that would also give me satisfaction, because then I might say that I have helped build this. I’m happy to embark on a new project and get it done as soon as possible.”
However, this prospect is still relatively distant, especially since he has a current commitment until the end of 2024, when he will be 43 years old, with Aston. “[Je courrai] as long as I still feel capable of giving 100%. So definitely another two or three years. At my age, I have to approach a lot of things differently. Training, travel, in-between events. Formula 1 monopolizes you more and more. You have to organize yourself well so as not to consume yourself.”
Alonso assures that he does not yet have “never thought” to “completely stop” his involvement in motorsport, he who had notably filled his first retirement from F1 in 2019 and 2020 with the WEC, IndyCar and the Dakar. Does the prospect of no longer competing at all frighten him? “Yes, indeed. I don’t have a plan B. I’ve been a racing driver all my life and if I’m good at it, it’s because I haven’t learned anything else.”
“My life has always been dedicated to motorsport. And what I do best in this sport is to drive. If I have to stop Formula 1 one day, I will do other races. A victory on the Dakar, it would still be a challenge. Because no one has done it in that suit yet. But sitting at home scares me.”
