Fernando Alonso is not racing in opposition to time – he is racing with it.
Ahead of his residence Grand Prix in Spain, the 42-year-old Aston Martin driver made it clear: he’s not prepared to hold up the helmet simply but.
“You have to feel when the time comes,” Alonso mentioned Thursday. “And I don’t feel it yet.”
The two-time world champion, whose F1 journey started in 2001 and peaked with back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, as soon as paused his Formula One profession in 2018 for adventures in Le Mans, the Indy 500 and Dakar Rally. But the decision of F1 was too loud to disregard – and he returned in 2021.
Now, with a contract by 2026 and a automobile removed from the entrance, Alonso admits the choice to stroll away – this time for good – received’t come simply.
“I know that very important decisions will come when I stop racing,” he mentioned. “I need to see how motivated I am.”
So far, that motivation stays intact regardless of a rocky season. Alonso sits 18th within the driver standings, and Aston Martin is eighth within the constructors’ – a steep drop from the optimism of 2023. He’s failed to complete three of the final eight races and hasn’t cracked the highest 10 as soon as this season. The final time he began a marketing campaign this poorly was in 2015.
Still, he’s not shaken.
“When I cross the line on Sunday, no matter the result, I’m already motivated for the next race,” Alonso mentioned.
The veteran’s eyes are firmly mounted on the horizon – particularly 2026, when sweeping engine regulation modifications will reshape the game. Aston Martin has thrown its full weight behind the long run, even recruiting legendary Red Bull aerodynamicist Adrian Newey to assist construct a contender.
But that lengthy view is a big gamble for a driver nearing 44 with little endurance left for mediocrity.
“For 40 years I’ve had a steering wheel in my hand,” Alonso mentioned. “The next time I stop, I have to be sure.”
Alonso’s final victory got here in Spain in 2013 with Ferrari – a win that is still his thirty second and counting. A 12 months in the past, hopes have been excessive for a historic thirty third. This time, with Red Bull and McLaren miles forward, Alonso is solely aiming to scrape into the factors.
“The focus is on 2026,” he mentioned, “but we must build momentum in 2025. The biggest steps will only happen in 2026 – that’s where the hopes are.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com