Photo Credit: Aston Martin Aramaco Cognizant F1 Team
Fernando Alonso has recorded 5 podiums in 2023 from 6 possible Grands Prix. The former two-time F1 Drivers’ World Champion is in blistering form and last weekend in Monaco showed once again the racecraft and talent at his disposal. Now, as a result of it being the weekend of the Spanish Grand Prix, the home-grown favourite is very much in the spotlight and expectation is again high for another promising performance. During Thursday’s FIA Press Conference several drivers paid tribute to Fernando Alonso, a man who has been racing in Formula One for more than 20 years.
Data collated from pre-season testing had already indicated that Aston Martin’s 2023 challenger – AMR23 – had the potential to be a force to be reckoned with. The excitement then built after Alonso claimed his 99th podium on his debut race for Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team in Bahrain (having started P5). Such a feat ensured he was in the record books for a career to date which included 14 of his F1 seasons seeing him secure at least one podium. This same achievement was previously recorded by Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, which means Alonso is joint third in the history books. Only Michael Schumacher and Sir Lewis Hamilton are out in front ahead of him with 16 years of podium success each.
Such an achievement is already impressive but the fact that these podiums were achieved for five different constructors (Renault, McLaren, Ferrari, Alpine, and Aston Martin) goes to show that really Oviedo’s superstar is in a field of his own. It is little surprise that his fellow racers had so much praise for him on the eve of yet another home Grand Prix weekend for the much-loved Spaniard.
Photo credit: Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team
In the second group of Thursday’s Drivers’ Press Conference, the 5 drivers were asked to comment on Alonso’s recent performances and also whether they felt they would manage to be as competitive when they are 40 years old or more.
The first driver to reply was Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll as the Canadian initially quipped “Yeah, he’s pretty impressive for an old guy, that’s for sure.” Before paying tribute to the man on the other side of his garage.
“No, he’s been doing very well. I mean, everyone, you know, the results speak for themselves. He’s on top of his game and he’s enjoying driving the car. He’s physically fit, mentally in a great place and yeah, it goes to show, if you look after yourself, you can go for a long time, that’s for sure,” Stroll concluded.
Lando Norris, at almost half Alonso’s age, highlighted the concept of time in his remarks as he shared how difficult it is for him to even look that far ahead into the future but was hopeful nonetheless.
“I hope so. It’s tough to know now. It’s always almost double my age, so it’s like another whole life for me. Just in Formula 1 it’s a long time. I want to believe it, I guess. I’m not looking that far ahead of my career. But he is unique and I think he’s shown that himself so good inspiration for anyone who wants to believe in that. So ask me again in 20 years and we’ll see,”
Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz chose to refer to ‘the power of the brain’ and that ‘whatever motivates you in life, whatever makes you happy in life. If you do it with the power and you put… all invest everything into it like he’s doing, you can be successful at an age. That I believe is still reasonable.”
After all, Carlos Sainz certainly knows what can be achieved in the latter years seeing how his namesake and father is still competing in the Dakar Rally at the age of 61.
“Yeah, I have a very good example also at home with my dad, 61 years old and going in Dakar in that car every year, risking his life, and you can just tell, he just loves it. He wants it. He puts all the effort, time and passion into it. And if that’s the thing you like, normally the age comes into a second plane, no, and it’s just all about how much you want it and of course, if you have the reflexes and the talent left, that takes care of itself,” stated Sainz.
Two of the rookies of the 2023 F1 grid also used this opportunity to pay tribute to Fernando Alonso. Williams Racing’s Logan Sargeant reflected on the longevity of Alonso’s F1 career in comparison to his own. “I think I’m only six races in. I think it is truly remarkable and impressive what he’s doing and it just shows the obsession to stay at a high level and compete with the best. So it’s definitely admirable.”
Meanwhile Nyck de Vries, being last in the lineup to comment, had little more to add but also made reference to the Spaniard’s success in other categories of motorsport.
“I’ve watched Fernando also in endurance racing and it’s just very impressive to see that after all those years, how much hunger he still has to continue to push and to be here and to be competitive. It almost seems like his hunger hasn’t decreased whatsoever. So that’s really impressive and it tells something about him,”
The 2023 F1 season is the first time that Fernando Alonso has started an F1 campaign with three consecutive podiums since 2006. Alonso’s fans will know this year all too well as it was the season when their driver claimed his second F1 Drivers’ World Championship with Renault.
With a viral movement of #33 growing – in honour of anticipation of Alonso winning a 33rd race in the pinnacle of F1 – If that day comes, one can imagine the fanbase movement (nor Fernando Alonso) would still not be satisfied. Surely the next target would be #3 – a 3rd World Championship. One thing is certain, we know that Fernando Alonso feels he can still achieve such a goal and who are we to say otherwise? After all, you should always respect your elders.
Photo credit: Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team
