Fernando Alonso continues to drop clues about the big decision ahead. The Asturian driver’s contract with Aston Martin runs through this very season, and as he nears 45 years of age, it could be the moment to step away, but this weekend, during a talk at the Monaco classic car race, he hinted that perhaps that moment has not yet arrived.
Alonso has confirmed that he still feels motivated to race, and the numbers show he remains competitive. Additionally, the poor performance of Aston Martin has left the team with few alternatives, so, pending official confirmation, right now it seems Alonso plans to stay in Formula 1.
“My moment hasn’t arrived yet”
“I don’t know if I will continue. It’s hard to say. I love what I do, I love racing. I did my first race when I was 3 years old; now I’m 44. That’s 41 years behind a steering wheel. I think the moment to stop racing will be a very hard and difficult decision to accept,” Fernando Alonso explained this weekend.
Alonso was seen at the Monaco Classic Grand Prix held annually in Monte Carlo in the weeks leading up to the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix. Since the Asturian resides in the Principality, it wasn’t too disruptive to briefly pause his now busy family life to look at the classics and chat with the Automobile Club of Monaco.
“I think time will tell. When it arrives, I’ll notice it. And at the moment I don’t feel it. I still feel competitive, I feel motivated, happy when I’m piloting. So I hope it isn’t the last season“, Alonso stated. A closing line that makes clear that, for now, he does not want to retire from Formula 1, even though he does not confirm it yet.
Alonso turns 45 this summer and has previously said that it was more likely he would retire if Aston Martin was performing well, rather than if it wasn’t, as seems to be the case now. Alonso wants to leave Formula 1 while still competitive, and the current poor form of his car means there isn’t anyone eager to take his seat either.
Probably Alonso won’t make a final decision until the upgrade package arrives at Spa-Francorchamps, before the summer, when he will be able to definitively assess whether Aston Martin’s project truly has prospects of recovery. But at the moment everything points to many more years with Fernando Alonso on the grid.
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Nolan Kessler
I focus on performance-driven cars, emerging technologies, and the business forces shaping the automotive industry. My work aims to deliver clear, relevant insights without unnecessary noise, with a strong attention to detail and accuracy. I follow the evolution of mobility daily, with a particular interest in what defines the next generation of driving.
