Alonso is still box office – and he knows it

Fernando Alonso might just be about to become the key player in the driver market. Only a few weeks ago, I was planning a feature on how that man was actually Sergio Perez, as he was driving the most competitive car on the grid and looking like he was facing a tough task to keep the seat given all the potential names that were going to be available come the end of this season. Renewals for Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc didn’t really change that situation, but then came the bombshell that Lewis Hamilton will be moving to Ferrari in 2025. That’s opened up another highly competitive seat at Mercedes, when it looked as if Red Bull would likely be alone among the top three teams in making a change. So plenty more names are now in play for a high-profile move than was the case if it had just been a Red Bull change. It was triggered by Hamilton, and even though Alonso said “I don’t care what Lewis Hamilton is doing” when speaking during the launch of the new Aston Martin, it’s definitely having an impact on his own situation. “I cannot think too much about the future right now,” Alonso said. “I will have to be and wait a few races. “I’m aware of my situation, which is very unique. There are only three world champions on the grid – and fast world champions, because in the past maybe there were some world champions but they were not so committed to be fast – I’m probably the only one available for ’25. So I have a good position. “At the same time, when I make the decision (about) if I want to keep racing or not for the future, the first and only talk that I will have at the beginning is with Aston Martin, because this will be my only one priority.” The Spaniard rarely says something without thinking, and there will be a driver – or perhaps more than one – in mind when he says there have previously been world champions that weren’t totally committed. For the record, the last three to retire from Formula 1 include two of Alonso’s former teammates in Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen,  as well as, most recently, the man Alonso replaced at Aston Martin: Sebastian Vettel. But it’s not necessarily about criticizing any of those drivers. In fact, it’s just as likely a play from Alonso to alleviate any fears about his age and a potential drop-off in performance at the age of 43, if Mercedes, for example, was open to bringing him in. Alonso’s got just over five months until he hits that age, but insists there are no signs that he is losing any sharpness or fitness. In fact, quite the opposite. “I feel fitter than ever,” he says. “The numbers that we achieve in all the physical tests that we do every season, they were the best ever this year. I was training a little bit differently this year. I also added a nutritionist to the team, which changed my way of seeing things and preparing the body. “Everything that I do in life, and everything that I did in the last few months were just to prepare myself better than ever for a very long season, and to prepare myself in case I want to keep driving, being better than ever. So if I commit to a project in the future, for the next year or next few years, I need to be first ready myself to commit to that. “I will not drive a few more years in Formula 1 just to drive and to have fun. I’m not that kind of driver, I’m not that kind of person. If I want to keep driving, it’s because I know, starting from myself, that I can give 200% to the team, on and off track. Simulator work, marketing work, delivering the results on-track. “I’m preparing for that in the eventuality I want to keep racing, and if I want to keep racing, let’s see what the options are. My first priority will be always to sit down and discuss with Aston, they gave me the opportunity last year to join this organization, which I’m very proud to be part of, with the new factory, with everything that is going on, there is a great future in this team, and I want to explore every possibility to race for many years here.” When sitting in front of a backdrop of Aston Martin sponsors and talking up the team’s chances for the coming season, of course Alonso isn’t going to state his priority would be to move elsewhere. But just as Hamilton knew it was his last chance to join Ferrari when that offer came his way, so too will Alonso be aware that a seat at one of the top three teams almost certainly won’t come round again. At least, not unless he races for another five years. Which he hints he just might… “The number (of years) for the future and keeping racing, I don’t know,” he says. “A few years ago, I would say that maybe 42 or 41 was the limit. Now, after I saw myself last year, motivated and performing well, I was thinking maybe that I can keep racing a few more years. “Now this winter, I’ve been exceeding a little bit the expectations in terms of all the physical tests and everything that I did. So I would say that if you are motivated and if you want to commit, you can drive maybe until 48 or 49 or whatever, even 50. But at the same time, you have to give up everything in life. Formula 1 needs total dedication. “This is my 24th season or whatever in F1, and I gave my life for 24 years to this sport, which I’m happy and I’m OK with that. I can keep doing it for a few more years, but I don’t know if I will be racing until 50, with such a demanding calendar and things like that. Not for the ability, but because there are other things in life that I’m curious (about).” At a time when the driver market has already started for 2025, Alonso has not only confirmed he is available but that he believes he potentially has another seven years of racing in F1 in himself. And as incredibly ambitious as that sounds, he’s yet to offer up a performance that suggests otherwise. He has also never been afraid to pull off a surprise move of his own, so Aston Martin might be his priority, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to be right in the middle of what could turn out to be the silliest of silly seasons.