Just as Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement on the cusp of the Hungarian GP, Fernando Alonso swooped in and joined the British team. The 2-time world champion who returned to F1 in 2021 after a gap of two years to win a third world title with Alpine will be joining Aston Martin in 2023 on a multi-year deal.
Alonso who just turned 41 is the oldest driver on the grid with the most GP laps completed and second most races under his belt. But even at 41, his form remains robust and is believed to be driving at a level comparable to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. His issues have been with the middling Alpine car which has also proven unreliable.
Before Vettel’s surprising retirement, Alonso was tipped for a renewal of his contract with Alpine. Alpine was likely to have offered a one-year deal with than him transitioning to some of its other motorsports programmes. Alpine has Oscar Piastri waiting in the wings the 2021 F2 world champion who has been described as a prodigy. Considering Esteban Ocon is contracted till 2025, a long-term contract wouldn’t have been on the table for Alonso, hence Aston Martin must’ve been attractive.
“I have known Lawrence and Lance [Stroll] for many years and it is very obvious that they have the ambition and passion to succeed in Formula 1. I have watched as the team has systematically attracted great people with winning pedigrees, and I have become aware of the huge commitment to new facilities and resources at Silverstone. No one in Formula 1 today is demonstrating a greater vision and absolute commitment to winning, and that makes it a really exciting opportunity for me.
I still have the hunger and ambition to fight to be at the front, and I want to be part of an organisation that is committed to learning, develop and succeed. We all appreciate that there is much to be done to get to the front, and that we must apply all our energies in working together to find performance.
The passion and desire to perform that I have witnessed convince me to maintain my enjoyment and commitment to the sport. I intend to win again in this sport and therefore I have to take the opportunities that feel right to me,” Alonso said revealing he has no desire to retire any time soon.
For Aston Martin, this is a big coupe as Vettel dropped his intent to retire only four days before the Hungarian GP. Its options were limited which included Haas driver Mick Schumacher whom Vettel had anointed as his successor or Nico Hulkenberg, its reserve driver. It also desires a former world champion in that seat something which Vettel provided when it was clear he and Ferrari were headed for a divorce in 2020. Alonso provides the same credentials and perhaps is also more motivated than Vettel.
Alpine was perhaps posturing or negotiating the contract with Alonso, but when he found an opportunity to get a drive with a team that wanted him for the medium to long-term one with resources, he pulled the trigger.
While Aston Martin languishes at the bottom end of the F1 constructor’s table, Lawrence Stroll has made a significant investment in the team that includes a new factory, a new wind tunnel, and a new technical director porched from Red Bull and perhaps even a new engine. Alpine on the other hand believes it is on a 100-race programme to challenge the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes. Both projects aren’t sure shot winners, but Aston Martin is investing more and it wants a driver of his stature for the long term, but not someone who will eventually pass on the baton to a prodigy like Piastri.
A multi-year deal for Alonso means that he will become the most experienced F1 driver in the history of the sport. This also means since the advent of the hybrid era of F1, this would be the first time he drives a car with a Mercedes engine. He had a Ferrari engine in 2014, while In 2015, 2016 and 2017 he had a Honda engine. In 2018 McLaren switched to Renault engines and with Alpine also he has a Renault engine and next year onwards he will drive a car with a Mercedes engine.
