Fernando Alonso, on his future at Madring: “There will be no news soon. It is a matter of understanding next year’s regulations; these cars are not the best to enjoy”
He Spanish F1 GP will be held in Madrid more than four decades after the Great Circus will leave the Jarama. This weekend Madring will once again host the highest category of motorsports and, without a doubt, the great attraction of the fans will be Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard has been racing at home in Barcelona or Valencia for 22 years, but it is the first time he will compete in the capital. For this reason, in the press conference prior to the weekend, the Asturian admitted that it is not just any appointment.
“It will be a nice weekend. We have the privilege of racing twice in Spain this year and we are opening Madring. This is going to be a challenge for everyone. We will have to learn the circuit as soon as possible during free practice and with these cars we will have to find energy here and there. For me doubly special because we are in Spain,” he said at the FIA press conference.
“I’ve been in the simulator about the track but it’s better to ask Ferrari (they did a filming day a few weeks ago). I hope to be more competitive than in Monza on any circuit in the world. We will have to get on the pianos a lot as we saw in the simulator and We have confirmation from F3 that it is not an easy circuit. The grip level of the asphalt is also an unknown. The track will be faster and faster than the previous round. On a street circuit there is always a big improvement and you have to anticipate this from the point of view of the car’s configuration. There are interesting aspects that will develop over the weekend. The important thing will be to make as many laps as possible and get closer to the walls each time. “We hope to have a good weekend and not have any reliability problems.”
No clear goal for the weekend
Fernando did not deny that he would love to win in Madrid as he did in the past in Barcelona on two occasions or in Valencia. However, he ruled out anything similar and admitted that it is time to discover where they are in the first training sessions because not even they are clear about what positions they can fight for.
“We don’t have a clear objective. Madrid is a combination of Budapest, Zandvoort and Monza. There are plenty of corners, with options to maximize the potential of the chassis, but there are also long straights where the engine matters. The most important thing for me will be to unlock more performance from the car. We are in a better place than in Budapest and, engine-wise, we also made a step after Zandvoort. The race is going to be complicated for everyonethere will be several abandonments and Safety will surely come out. We will have to be focused to find a good strategy“.
“The circuit seems complicated and difficult to learn. Very technical with high-speed sections where you have to get close to the wall. That is attractive and fills the drivers with adrenaline. It is similar to Jeddah in some sectors. But one thing is the simulator and the other is reality. I want to get the car in free practice. The biggest factor I think will be the level of grip. The urban circuits favor qualifying more than the race. It’s hard for me to believe that it will be more fun on Sunday as we drivers feel. Sometimes these years, Sundays are also fun to watch because this drum championship allows you to overtake even if you don’t want to. In Monza I overtook two or three times without meaning to because the rival had run out of energy,” he explained while saying that overtaking at turn 13 will be difficult and will depend on the energy used before in the ‘Monumental’.
Your future
The big question that was also asked to the Asturian was about his future. He is one of the few who has not yet sealed his continuity for 2027 and it only depends on him whether he wants to continue in this new era of Formula 1 or not. However, there is no rush.
“Don’t expect news soon about my future. Why the delay? Because I think it’s good, right? I don’t think there is urgency at Aston Martin. There were pilots who already asked Aston in the summer. It’s a matter of understanding next year’s regulations. Understand the regulations and the impact it will have on the races and the driver. I think that These cars are not the best to drive or enjoy. Next year there will be a step in the right direction, or so I hope. I need to think about what is the best program for next year. I will sit with the team and I don’t know if behind the wheel or in another role, but I will help in any way I can,” he expressed about the million-dollar question before stating that the option of going to the world of the Resistance is on the table.
What’s more, this Wednesday Alonso was driving with old cars at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and his message made it clear that he prefers past times to what the current regulations are aimed at.
“The Barcelona test was the best day of the year so far. I drove cars without batteries, only with gasoline, tires, a lot of noise, earplugs… incredible“, he expressed in conclusion.
