Tag: Fernando Alonso

Spain’s Formula One ‘golden oldie’ Fernando Alonso set a date on his retirement, saying he won’t be behind the wheel “at 50”.

The 43-year-old leads Aston Martin into their 100^th F1 race on Sunday at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with the verve and enthusiasm of a driver half his years.

The veteran, older than the age of rookies Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman combined, has an open-ended contract at the ambitious team bankrolled by Lawrence Stroll, father of Alonso’s teammate Lance.

And while recent results may not have been much to write home about, Aston’s project proved appealing enough to lure design guru Adrian Newey over from Red Bull.

Given their recent lack of form – Alonso’s last podium dates back to 2023 – Aston could do with Newey imbuing some of his magic onto this season’s car.

But the man whose car design helped Red Bull to 13 titles – six drivers and seven constructors – is purely focusing on 2026 and the next big change in F1’s technical landscape.

Read Also: Formula One pioneer Williams dies at 79

“He’s working only on ‘26, and I totally support that,” said Alonso.

“I want to drive an Adrian-designed car,” he added, when asked how long his familiar grizzled features would be part of the grid.

“Not at fifty for sure.

“After 2026, I don’t know – I will go season by season, see how motivated I am.

“Right now, I am very motivated. Let’s do it until the 2026 and then we’ll sit and talk, and check what is the best for the team.”

Alonso, preparing for his 51st race with the team he joined in 2023 from Alpine, reflected on “an incredible journey so far”.

Despite yet to score a point this term he said: “We are a much better team, a much more prepared team to fight for world championships than we were two years ago.

“Then we had a very small factory, we were using Mercedes’ wind tunnel, and maybe we didn’t have the right people and partners together in the project.

“So, yeah, the results on track on Sunday are not the same as they were before.

“But I feel very relaxed, very motivated.

“And this is just a transition time.”

Fernando Alonso is considering his past, present and future in Formula 1 – and most of all his thoughts on his prospects of winning a third world drivers’ title, even though he is 43 and it’s 18 years since his last.

“I still dream,” Alonso said. “Why not? I know 2026 is probably my only chance because 2025 is extremely difficult, but I am still dreaming.

“F1 is for dreamers, probably, because anything can happen. Let’s see.”

It’s a comment that says a lot about Alonso. It talks to his pure love of what he does, and his unwavering belief that, despite the experiences of the past decade and more of his career, fresh success could be just around the corner.

Read Also: FIFA congratulates Sanusi on re-appointment at NFF

It’s 11 years and counting since Alonso secured the last of his 32 grand prix victories. It’s a year and a half since a promising start to 2023 meant he re-emerged as a regular frontrunner in his Aston Martin, and put together a string of podium finishes – even almost end that long drought – before his team’s form faded.

And at the end of the longest season in history, his early hopes have again been dashed against the cold hard reality of F1 results.

Yet here is Alonso, still believing more wins, and even another championship to add to the two he won with Renault in 2005 and 2006, could be just around the corner.

It might not sound like it, but his belief is founded on rationality. Three months ago, Aston Martin shook F1 when they announced the signing of Adrian Newey – the greatest designer in the sport’s history.

The 65-year-old, who announced in May he was leaving Red Bull after 18 years, starts work with his new team in March 2025. The hope – no, expectation – is Newey can work his magic on the car Aston Martin design for the new rules coming into force in 2026, and they can leap to the front.

“Expectations will be high because it is a new car, change of regulations, car made by Adrian,” Alonso said.

“Probably – or at least to start – it will be my last season in F1. Because my contract finishes at the end of 2026. It is the time of delivering and the time of truth. High expectations.”