Fernando Alonso will be competing for Aston Martin next season, a move that has surprised friends and strangers alike.
He will be joining a young ambitious team, led by Lawrence Stroll who has his goal clear to win the World Championship over the long haul.
This odd union between the two-time world champion and a team that only goes by the name of prestige has been turning a lot of heads, only to ask one question. What makes the two-time world champion abandon Alpine to go to Silverstone?
“We were all caught off guard by Alonso’s move” said Pedro De la Rosa, Alonso’s friend. He further states that the most important factor for a driver is to be a part of a project that will ultimately succeed. And since Aston Martin’s investments and ambition prove it, he’s clear why Alonso chose this direction.
“The most important thing for a driver is to be part of a project that will sooner or later be a winner.” De la Rosa told a Spanish media company.
“You marry the project that has the most potential, not the one that pays you the best. And his arrival can attract more talents within an ambitious project “
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“El Plan continues.” Raúl Martín Santiago, the aerodynamics engineer at Aston Martin, who has been with the team since their days of Force India, gives an insight into the situation.
“Our aim is to triumph. Fernando revised his “Plan” in the end, though he won’t admit it, because he discovered a better one with us.” Santiago talks about Aston’s further investments and reveals that they have doubled the number of employees this year.
“This marriage is going in the correct direction, which I truly admire. It is a project that will last for a while. It is obvious that Alonso won’t immediately sweep the board, but we have high expectations. We have ambition, but he won’t start winning everything right immediately.”
A new driving force behind our ambitions to reach the front of the #F1 grid.
From 2023, @alo_oficial becomes part of the @AstonMartinF1 journey.
Tap below to hear what Team Principal Mike Krack believes Fernando will bring to the team. ⬇️
— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) August 8, 2022
Although Alonso hasn’t specified the tenure yet, De la Rosa and Martín concur that the partnership will be for several years.
Santiago stated that nobody at Aston Martin anticipated the arrival of Alonso; the arrival of Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin was a “blow on the marketing table” for the Uk based team. He further reveals that the information was only leaked at Silverstone just before the official announcement.
“Internally there was talk of Mick Schumacher or Nicholas Latifi as replacements for Sebastian Vettel; I didn’t think Alonso would come. I assumed he would remain in Alpine. It’s unbelievable and startling, but it’s the truth!”
