Alonso on his new ‘lifetime’ Aston Martin deal, talks with rival teams and a Honda reunion
Fernando Alonso has placed the latest piece in the F1 driver market puzzle with the announcement that he will be remaining in the sport with Aston Martin via a fresh long-term deal – and the Spaniard faced the world’s media shortly after the news was communicated on Thursday to share all...
Alonso’s future had been the subject of much speculation over the first four rounds of the campaign after Lewis Hamilton kicked off ‘silly season’ early by making the decision to swap Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025 – with the veteran racer, and plenty of other drivers, yet to confirm their plans.
READ MORE: Alonso signs new deal with Aston Martin to end speculation over F1 future
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff namechecked Alonso as one of the contenders that stood out to replace Hamilton, while the two-time world champion himself admitted he was likely an “attractive” option to teams across the grid given his vast experience and title-winning credentials.
But a few days on from the Japanese Grand Prix, Alonso and Aston Martin confirmed that they had agreed an all-new, multi-year deal that will keep the star driver onboard through 2025 and, importantly, into F1’s new era of technical regulations in 2026.
Half an hour after a press release quote that simply read “I am here to stay”, Alonso took centre stage for a media session, in which he fielded a host of questions about his newly-signed contract, how it came about and what it means for the years ahead.
more at F1 site...
These are bleak times for Alpine.
The French works manufacturer sits rock bottom of the constructors’ championship without a single point to its name in 2024. They have failed to finish on the lead lap in any of the first four Grands Prix and only twice have they scraped out of Q1 – their best grid slot remains a lowly 15th.
READ MORE: Contact with Ocon on Lap 1 at Suzuka was ‘game over’ for Alpine, says Gasly
This is not the kind of form Alpine expect considering they are a works team with a works budget.
After finishing fourth in 2022, they set their sights on breaking the top three – Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. Instead they have plummeted and are fighting to avoid the wooden spoon.
Form like that could make the Renault Group board question their involvement in Formula 1 – but that is not the case, according to team boss Bruno Famin.
‘We are not for sale’
“We have a real project with Alpine,” he told me when we spoke exclusively via video call. “We have the project to develop the Alpine brand awareness globally through motorsport and Formula 1 in particular.
Thanks for these posts...I meant to reply earlier but have been, well, just pulled in too many directions.
Even if I don’t respond please know that I do appreciate your NUMEROUS additions to this EXCELLENT thread!
I didn’t say they were doing it, read my post. I said I was anticipating something like that. If it didn’t happen then good on them.
I hear Honda presented Alonso with a ‘Honda’ Promotion Lawn Chair as a gift. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣