What will be Alonso’s future?

Ferdinand Alonso wants to continue on Formula 1 “Two or three more years”, as he has repeated since the beginning of the course. But he is in no hurry to end his future and never will be. He has repeated from the beginning of the year that he will sit down to negotiate in the summer, during the August break, and that plan remains intact, albeit in a context that seems more favorable for its continuation.

“It’s a two-way thing,” the replied CEO of Alpine, Laurent Rossi, when MD asked him a few months ago if for Fernando to renew it was Alpine who had to convince the Spaniard, or vice versa. And if we look at the Oviedo side, the team shouldn’t have any doubts.

In his performance on the track he confirms what he emphasizes whenever he is asked: that he is at the highest level. He said recently, as if when he was fighting for the title in 2012, but with experience that makes him a more complete rider. He doesn’t have a vehicle that allows him to fight to win, but he always takes advantage of it (even more so), even in this first half of the 2022 course that doesn’t show up in his points locker because of his bad luck. was accumulated to 8 in the first 11 appointments.

“I miss winning, and I miss the feeling of fighting for podiums and bigger things, yes. But at the same time, I’m also enjoying it, because it’s a race against yourself in a way, and I’m trying to be a better version of myself than in 2019. I think last year I was performing at a decent level, but this year I feel 100%. “ Alonso taught a few days ago in Austria.

Anyone who knows Fernando knows that he says nothing for free. No wonder he wanted to emphasize that his state of appearance was the best after many questions were asked of him about his age (he will be 41 on July 29). And also because he has a contract to renew. Alpine age should not cause any doubt. Alonso is looking for a two year contract and not exactly for walking. He wanted to continue fighting hard as he had shown.

In this sense, it is key to highlight the first sentence quoted, in which he says that he did not get the victories and fight for the “big thing”. And this is in the negotiations that Fernando Alonso and Alpine will do this summer, the Spaniard will also have his sporting requests. Here Alpine must convince the Spanish. “During the summer holidays or in the coming weeks, I will talk about it with the team. We need to agree on some things. “taught days ago on ‘RacingNews365’.

“Over the next few weeks or so, I’ll sit down with the team and see what their expectations are. Also, what is the next step in the project? I’m happy. I feel at home in Alpine. But there is no guarantee that there is no certainty. said the Oviedo man, when he did not want to give up his renewal.

“Feels at home in Alpine” is Alonso and that’s the key. He wants to stay but he doesn’t take it. And on the team’s side, its leaders always speak wonders about Spanish. Laurent Rossi told MD that Alonso has been key to selling more cars in Spain. And in turn, both he and Otmar Szafnauer emphasized the Spanish’s competitive virtues, his importance in pushing the team, his quality on the track and denied that his pressure to improve was negative, but the opposite. All of these are positive signs despite the fact that the many problems alone with Alonso’s car can cause doubts. Otherwise, the Spaniard would not have greeted the team on the radio after another bad pit stop in Austria that cost him a few points.

Last, but most importantly: On the side of the French team, the situation of its young reserve driver, Oscar Piastri, who they want in F1 in 2023 needs to be resolved yes or no. If they can’t find him a seat borrowed from another team, Alonso’s seat will remain in 2023. But the deal with Williams should be close, according to the international newspaper, and is being discussed for two years. That will allow the young talent from the Alpine academy to spend the next two courses in a perfect team to learn and prepare for his jump in an Alpine. There, in those two years I will be Alonso with Ocon. Norman has a contract until 2024 and Fernando is also looking to sign until that year. But “we have to wait”. First, Alonso clarified that he was focused on the remaining races until the break. He will continue with that mentality this weekend in France and next in Hungary. From that Hungarian appointment (July 31) and until August 26 (start of the Belgian GP), it’s time to sit down and talk.