12/02/2024
NEWS STORY
Admitting that he is aware of the upcoming vacancy at Mercedes, Fernando Alonso, who can see himself racing until he's 50, insists that for now his main priority is Aston Martin.
Having proved repeatedly in 2023 that he is still capable of not only challenging for wins but titles, when it was announced that Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes at season end for Ferrari, Fernando Alonso was one of the names linked with the Briton's seat.
Understandably, with the wraps barely removed from the AMR24, the Spaniard preferred to talk of the present but admitted that he is intrigued by the situation, though keen to make clear that there has been no contact with the Silver Arrows.
"On the Mercedes thing, there has been nothing at all," he said. "I know the driver market has started earlier this year than probably June or July, which is the normal timing, but this will not affect me at all in terms of preparing the season good enough.
"We have a very limited pre-season testing in Bahrain, and because it's so limited, I cannot think too much about the future right now," he added. "I will have to wait a few races.
"I'm aware of my situation, which is very unique. There are only three world champions on the grid, and they are fast world champions, because in the past maybe there were some world champions who were not so committed to being fast.
"I'm probably the only champion available for '25, so I have a good position. At the same time, when I make the decision if I want to keep racing or not for the future, first and the only talk that I will have at the beginning is with Aston Martin, because this will be my only one priority."
The most experienced driver on the grid, the two-time world champion is also the oldest, but insists that time is not against him.
"The number I will keep racing, a few years ago I would have said 42, 41 is the limit," he said. "But now after last year, when I saw myself motivated and performing well, I was thinking maybe that I can keep racing a few more years.
"Now this winter, I have been exceeding a little bit the physical expectations and tests I did, so now I would say that if you are motivated and if you want to commit, you can drive to 48 and 49 or 50..."
However, while the Spaniard says that he can be racing for a few more years - he's 43 in July - he admits that he doesn't necessarily mean he sees himself still in F1 at 50.
"There are a couple of phases that I need to go through. First of all, I need to decide myself what I want to do for the future. If I want to commit my life, again, for a few more years to this sport, which I love. But I love driving, I've been driving different cars all over the winter: DTM car, car cross, rally car, go kart... I love Formula One, but generally I love driving. So if it's not Formula One, I will find myself happy in any other form of motorsport, and maybe having more time for my private life, which is also very important at this age.
"This is a decision that I need to do with myself. I need to think, and I need to commit to a team, eventually, and make sure that I understand that the next few years of my life, it will be that team and 100% of my time. Once I make that decision I want to sit with Aston Martin and say, 'OK, I made this decision, and I would love to continue with this project'.
"Because I think we did a good step forward in the last year, we built a lot of things together. We have this new facility here, we have everything to succeed for the future, and I trust this project. So that will be my first priority when I say that I want to speak first with Aston Martin, because I feel part of this project very much.
"But if we cannot reach an agreement, and I want to commit to racing Formula One, I know that I have a privileged position. I'm probably attractive to other teams, the performance that they saw last year, the commitment. And as I said, there are only three world champions on the grid, and there is only one available."
In terms of Hamilton's move to Maranello, Alonso, who was runner-up three times with Ferrari, admitted: "Probably it was a surprise, I will not lie. But not because of the change itself, it was just because from the outside, it seemed like he was very linked with Mercedes and very loyal to them and things like that. It was a little bit unexpected.
"I don't know the inside, I don't know the reasons behind, I don't know anything, I don't know the stories so it's more a question for him... It was not his childhood dream 12 months ago or two months ago I guess because he had a different dream so nothing really to comment.
"At the end of last year with a very dominating Red Bull car, Ferrari were still able to match the lap time and be faster than them in most of the qualifying sessions. I think the car should be fast enough.
"I hope he enjoys the experience, it is a very special team," he added. "It is more special when you win and that's the thing, you need to win and it's a few years already that they have a very fast car and are fighting for big things. And maybe Lewis can bring that extra to fight for the championship, as I said the car is there."
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