Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin have had a remarkable 2023 season so far despite their most recent slip in performance. This is because, other than his last four races, the Spaniard has finished in the top four in each of his first six races. And with Alonso having a fantastic year so far, American motorsports legend Michael Andretti believes that the 41-year-old still has what it takes to win a third world championship.
Moreover, Alonso also believes he has what it takes to win his elusive third-world title. In an interview with team sponsor Bang & Olufsen (as quoted by f1.com) earlier this year, the Spaniard stated that he believes it is never too late to achieve one’s goals.
However, he did acknowledge the fact that Aston Martin is not yet at the stage where he can think of winning the world championship. Alonso stated that with him having finished on the podium in several races this year, his next goal was just to win a race before he could think of something more.
Andretti believes the “most complete driver,” Alonso, can still win a third title
In a conversation with Spanish Marca (as quoted by f1maximaal.nl), Michael Andretti hailed Fernando Alonso for everything he has done in his illustrious career. The Andretti Autosport team owner explained how the Spaniard is the “most complete driver” since he has all the characteristics an F1 driver needs to be successful.
When quizzed if Alonso can still win a third title, Andretti replied, “If he’s in the right car, yes. Age doesn’t mean everything. It’s more important how much you want it. You can see that Fernando is still young at heart. I think he still has a few good years left to compete competitively“.
It is pertinent to note that Alonso, too, thinks of himself in a similar way. Whenever the Spaniard is asked about the same, he has always stated that he is still enjoying competing in F1 and that he is keen on carrying on for as long as he believes he can continue to compete at the highest level. And it seems that it is this same determination that is seeing him receive offers even at this age.
Mario Andretti is keen on signing Fernando Alonso
Mario Andretti, who is the father of Michael Andretti, revealed in a conversation last year about his interest in signing Fernando Alonso to his team if their bid to launch an F1 team is successful. Since it is unlikely that the Andretti team will join F1 before the 2026 season, it is pertinent to note that Alonso would turn 44 that year.
However, the Spaniard’s age seems to make little difference to Mario. As quoted by mirror.com, Mario said, “His (Alonso) experience is immeasurable and it would be a tremendous thing for us, so we’re going to look at it. I think he wants to keep racing and he’s still in his prime“.
While Andretti seems keen to sign Alonso, the question is whether the Spaniard will still compete in F1 when he turns 44. Hence, with still a few seasons to go before Andretti can launch their own F1 team, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Alonso.
