Don’t talk to him about age. At 40, the double Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso still hopes to drive in the premier category of motorsport to “two or three years”, he assured at a press conference on Friday, April 8. Under contract with the Alpine team since 2021, the Spaniard does not intend, for the time being, to give up his place to the team’s reserve driver, the Australian Oscar Piastri, 21, crowned Formula 2 champion in 2021.
“I think if I was 25, we wouldn’t be talking about that, it’s a question of age”, added the Spanish driver before the Australian Grand Prix. For him, it is above all a question of performance: “Last year, I think I did the right thing. (he finished 10th in the championship, ahead of his teammate Esteban Ocon). This year, we’ll see how it goes, but it’s a question of performance and not age.”, he assured. And to continue: “I still feel competitive and fast, and I’m having a good time in Formula 1, so I’m going to race I guess a few more years, two or three more years.”
Melbourne mood. We’re back!#AusGP pic.twitter.com/mjlLYtegBh
— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) April 6, 2022
The question now is: will he continue on the side of Alpine? “If it’s with Alpine, it will be good, if it’s with another team, it will be good too”said unscrupulous Fernando Alonso. “I will start these discussions probably during the summer”said the pilot, under contract with Alpine until the end of the season.
The Asturian drove in Formula 1 between 2001 and 2018, winning the world title with Renault in 2005 and 2006. He signed his return to the elite with Alpine in 2021, after two consecutive years of absence in his last years of galley at McLaren. During this period, he had participated in the world endurance championship (winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018 and 2019 and the world title in 2018-2019), the 500 Miles of Indianapolis or the Dakar.