By then he’ll be 45 – making him the oldest driver to have raced in Formula 1 since the great two-time world champion Graham Hill.
His reactions are seemingly as sharp if not sharper than on the first day he turned a racing wheel – and he’s clearly still got the speed and racing instincts.
“[Retirement] came to mind,” he says when we chatted on the terrace of the Aston Martin hospitality unit in China.
“We did some great things in 2023 and I think we’re at the start of this journey.
It felt natural to keep on the project – and finish the job.”
Fernando Alonso is a force of nature.
The double world champion, who made his debut more than two decades ago in the 2001 Australian Grand Prix, earlier this month said “I am here to stay” in F1, signing a deal to race for Aston Martin until at least the end of 2026.
By then he’ll be 45 – making him the oldest driver to have raced in Formula 1 since the great two-time world champion Graham Hill.
READ MORE: ‘It’s probably my last contract’ – Alonso reflects on new Aston Martin deal as he predicts ‘things are in place’ to become a ‘powerful team’
Age is but a number to the Spaniard, who reckons he’s leaner and fitter than he’s ever been before. His reactions are seemingly as sharp if not sharper than on the first day he turned a racing wheel – and he’s clearly still got the speed and racing instincts.
In committing to Aston Martin – in what is the longest contract of his career, he says, as it includes a commitment to stay with the brand in a non-racing role when he eventually hangs up his helmet – he put retirement on the back-burner yet again.
“[Retirement] came to mind,” he says when we chatted on the terrace of the Aston Martin hospitality unit in China. “I know that day will happen eventually – and soon. This is probably my last contract in F1 and I wanted to make sure I was in a happy place that was ambitious enough to fight for championships hopefully in 2026.
“We did some great things in 2023 and I think we’re at the start of this journey. It felt natural to keep on the project – and finish the job.”
