Fernando Alonso has not won a Grand Prix since 2013 and soon he’ll be celebrating his 40th birthday. Nonetheless, he still carries the stature of being fiercely competitive and remains demanding and disruptive.
Even though the legend was away from Formula One, he certainly did not spend that period relaxing on the beaches of La Concha. He was still connected to Motorsports through one format or the other.
“My age is a big question but I am a little bit surprised by that. I am not that old. The guy who is dominating the sport is 36. I am not 20 years older.” justifying his age-group, Fernando said.
After taking his second Le Mans 24 Hours win, conquering the World Endurance Championship and contesting for the Dakar Rally and Indy 500 -it’s obvious to believe that the man now is a more complete driver. Someone who can try and deliver what the team demands during the season.
This season, Renault is rebranded to Alpine. Shockingly enough, Cyril Abiteboul will not be the team boss from 2021 onward. Now, Fernando will be communicating his needs to Laurent Rossi who has taken over the CEO post.
Looking at the testing report of Alpine, the team had a healthy session throughout. Debuting on day two, Alonso lapped 127 ties around the Bahrain track and overall finished 10th fastest on the same day. While on the last day he further improved his grasp over his wheel and ended the day in 9th position.
“It takes always time and I’m not 100% yet. It is the same for many people, I guess. Some changed team, some just need to re-adapt to the new aero regulations and tyres.” he added.
Fernando Alonso not looking far ahead in the future.
Fernando Alonso knows what it means to partner up with the Alpine[re-branded Renault]. In fact, the Spaniard was quite vocal publicly, stating that he’s preparing for the long run and even a top ten finish is something he could celebrate. Instead of attacking the Triple Crown, he’s channeling his main efforts towards the rules reset in 2022.
“F1 is not mathematics where you can plan things ahead. You are just trying to make it as fun and enjoyable as possible at the same time as working hard to deliver the results and get the dreams in your head.”
Fernando Alonso of Spain driving the (14) Alpine A521 Renault during Day Three of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit. (Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
“It is no different for me, trying to make this a good shot of trying to win races and be as competitive as possible but not with a clear target.” he concluded.
Omitting the fact of what lies ahead of the two-year contract, experienced Alonso comes with relentless racing on the track and relentless pressure to improve the car off it. As of now, the Spaniard’s goal is to help the team understand its weaknesses and win a podium.
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