Even though Fernando Alonso is 42 years old, his love of driving isn’t fading away. The Spaniard is quite driven to perform to the best of his abilities with his current squad, Aston Martin. The two-time champion last year remained a fantastic leader for the Silverstone-based squad. However, since he only agreed to a two-year contract, 2024 will be his final season with the squad. Despite this, Alonso has not yet indicated that he plans to sign a new deal with the team. The Spaniard rather has revealed a condition that will make him available for the F1 grid.
According to Formula Passion, Alonso initially said that he didn’t want to rule out any option for 2025. He said, “In my case, I think I’m in a good position to negotiate.”
However, later, while elaborating on that one condition, the #14 driver disclosed, “I want to do at least the first two races without thinking much about it. I want to see how I behave in this season, which will be the longest ever”
To put it briefly, Alonso intended to test drive the new Aston Martin model, since only then would he be able to decide for himself whether or not to leave the team. However, it’s interesting to note that the ex-Alpine driver has previously shocked the F1 community with his unexpected transfer.
In light of this, Alonso’s decision to join Mercedes, which will have a vacancy after Lewis Hamilton departs for Ferrari next year, may turn out to be his latest gamble. Earlier, the two-time champion has experienced him switching teams seven times, including the likes of Ferrari, Renault, and McLaren.
Besides jumping many ships, Alonso retired in 2018 and then returned in 2021. With all this, the 42-year-old has recently admitted that these are finally the last years of his career. Hence, he wants to experience these years by aiming for the maximum.
How long does Fernando Alonso plan to compete in F1?
Throughout his remarkable 24-year career, Fernando Alonso has left his fans with an abundance of treasured memories. However, now that he is in his 40s, the fans are wondering how long their beloved driver intends to compete in the sport. This query seems to have reached Alonso also, as he has now made a statement about it.
As quoted by FormulaPassion, Alonso said, “A few seasons ago, I would have said that the limit would have been to reach 42 years old.”
He went on to say that he felt driven and competitive last year. As a result, he now thinks he can continue racing for a few more years. The 42-year-old elaborated, “If you are motivated and dedicated enough, you could even run until you are 48, 49 or maybe 50.”
Despite his advancing age, Alonso has been in the best of shape. Still, it appears that other requirements must be met for Alonso to consider retiring. This is because the Spaniard feels that he hasn’t spent enough time with his family during his lengthy career, as the competitive world of F1 requires sacrifice.
As a result, it makes Alonso question if he should continue to race in F1 or spend more time with his family. However, as he was closing up, Alonso made it clear that whatever decision he takes, Aston Martin would always be the focus of his loyalty.
