Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), double Formula One world champion and one of the great figures in the history of Spanish sport, will again be one of the great attractions next weekend during the Spanish Grand Prixthe tenth of the World Cup, which will be held at the Montmelo circuit (Barcelona).
Naa second part of an interview with Agencia EFE which took place at the Circuit Museum that bears the name of the Asturian double world champion, within the framework of an Aramco event – main sponsor of the Silverstone team -, Alonso commented, among other aspects, What is his relationship with the current dominator of F1, the Dutchman Max Verstappen; He affirms that at the age of 50 he is no longer in the top category, but who hopes to continue competing; and it is not ruled out that in two seasons he can fight for the title again.
Question: You have met many great champions. Would you say that, of all of them, you are most like Max Verstappen?
A: Maybe it’s the most similar, yes; because it comes from a country, too, with little tradition (of Formula One), like Holland (sic). The whole country is hooked: And we see all the orange stands, now, at all the circuits. In my time, they were blue.
He’s a guy who really loves racing, too. And when the F1 race is over, he takes his backpack, goes home and goes to the simulator again; or he drives a different car, a GT3… So he’s the driver I see most similar to my lifestyle, yes.
Q: You have met on the track some of the drivers who have won the most titles: the German Michael Schumacher and the Englishman Lewis Hamilton, both with seven; another German, Sebastian Vettel, who won four; and now, with Verstappen, who goes fourth. Tell me what you think is the best and worst of each of them.
A: It’s hard to say without knowing them. But as rivals they all became very strong. Bad, I think they have some things. The rivalry is always fierce and you always have some conflict with them, in some race, over the years. But they are unusual people; on and off the track.
And then as drivers, Michael is fierce, he is no fun, right? I’m always looking for more. Whether the car is good or the car is bad, Michael is always there.
Hamilton is a rare talent; and he achieves results beyond what you can expect from the start, because he always has an ace.
And Verstappen… well, it’s natural speed. It is fast in all conditions. He is not wrong; and he was almost an impeccable pilot.
Q: Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio, the first major champion of the premier category, won the third of his five World Cups at the age of 44. And he still has two more titles to win. What does that idea suggest to you?
A: That in 2026 I will be 44 years old (laughs).
Q: Well, that might be a good sign, right?
A: Another time, another time. I think it’s more difficult now. But hey, in Formula One you depend more on the car and the weapons at your disposal. In 2026 there is a change in regulations. Perhaps, suddenly, your team has built a car that is a little bit superior to the rest. And you have the possibility of winning the World Cup. The possibility is always there and you have to fight for it.
Q: At 50 years old, is Fernando Alonso still in F1?
A: No.
Q: Sure?
A: No, no. Certainly not. But I will definitely continue to compete. I love racing. I watched (the 24 Hours of) Le Mans last weekend, on television; and you are bitten by the memories that you have, since I ran there.
Then there is the Dakar. It was an exciting race, where we saw Carlos Sainz winning and dominating it at the age of sixty odd. So I hope I can continue running for many years.
Q: There was ‘Alonsomania’ at the beginning of the century, when you broke out in such an explosive way, with exciting first victories, great performances: and when you ended up winning your two titles (2005 and 2006). But last year there was a kind of ‘Alonsomania 2.0’, with a good streak that he signed in his first season with Aston Martin, with eight podiums, where he hung another younger generation. This is another type of immaterial record, right? How did you experience it?
A: Yes, the truth is that I noticed it. Last year, many new fans were hooked, yes, since 2023, when positive results came again.
And, well, we try to support them, we try to give them joy; We try to make them proud every Sunday, when we are at the track. And for a new generation to discover Formula One, which is something very good.
Q: You really have nothing to prove, with such a brilliant career. But last season, seeing yourself regularly on the podium, did you feel a kind of relief; or something similar? Because, as soon as he has a competitive car again, he is back on top.
A: Well, I’m happy for mine, for the fans, for the team… but, as you say, I have nothing to prove; because he already has a career, thank God, with many victories in Formula One And in other categories (on his journey outside F1 he won the WEC, the World Endurance Championship, with a double victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans ), as he had just come from competing in other categories.
But hey, after these podiums with Aston Martin, and feeling competitive again, I think a lot of people were happy about that too.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
