Fernando Alonso: “I will maintain motivation until I am 80 or 90 years old”

“I think until I’m 80 or 90 years old,” Fernando Alonso said with a laugh, upon receiving one of the questions that has been asked the most in recent years, about whether he will be able to continue maintaining motivation in F1 if he wants to continue driving in the Great Circus in the coming years. This is how he responded at the press conference prior to the F1 Italian GP, ​​in the Aston Martin hospitality, before what he predicts may be “one of the worst races for us along with Las Vegas and Baku this year” due to the lack of engine power compared to its rivals on a track full of straights.

As for his future, the pilot from Oviedo still has not made a decision. He does not know if he will continue driving in F1 next year and he reiterated again that it is not about the performance he can expect from the car.

In that sense, he was confident that he had “the best leaders in the paddock” to make a decision regarding the 2027 car and assured that he was “100% sure” that Honda will once again have one of the best engines due to its evolution in its internal structure in recent months. And he made it clear that in this sense, they should not wait another 5 or 6 years for Honda to have a winning engine, but rather they should shorten that wait to “two or three years.”

The driver from Oviedo once again put the new regulations in focus, which he has already said on many occasions that he does not find fun. He wants to have fun behind the wheel and right now, with these engines with 50% electric power, he can’t do it because driving has totally changed. He said that this is the main point for his decision whether or not to continue in F1.

“As for my decision, as I said, it doesn’t really depend on the car. I will be professional and work 100%, fighting for a P15 or fighting for a podium. But for me it has more to do with the regulations,” he commented.

“Unfortunately, it is what it is. This is not the Formula 1 that we grew up with and it is not the Formula 1 that we all want, drivers and spectators. We have to change some things. It will not happen immediately. It will be something for the future. But I hope I can contribute in some way so that, with the next set of regulations, we return to the real Formula 1,” he added.

Fernando Alonso’s press conference, in full:

Is there anything that can still surprise you when you come to Monza?

No, I don’t think so. The truth is that no. I think everything is more or less simple. There aren’t many things that are going to come as a surprise. Obviously now we have to fine-tune these cars on Friday in terms of power delivery and how you expend energy on the straights. You come with an idea and, when you see after Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 that the competitors are doing different things in different parts of the circuit, you try to converge towards a more or less standard deployment for the rest of the weekend. But I think it’s pretty simple.

Fernando, how much satisfaction did that performance in Zandvoort give you? Can you enjoy a performance like that?

The truth is that no. Finishing ninth there is not something that makes you really happy when you cross the finish line. Obviously, you are happy for the guys because they are always working hard from morning to night, preparing the cars, and also in the two factories, every day. When you finish at the back of the grid and several laps, like at the beginning of the year, you obviously want to do a little better for them, to reward them for their work. So when I crossed the line in Zandvoort I was thinking more about the two factories and the guys in the garage. The strategy and pit stops were executed perfectly. Personally, you always drive at 100% and to the best of your abilities, and in Zandvoort it was no different.

Is that enough for you to continue then, if next year it’s all about fighting for positions 8, 9 and 10?

No.

We can’t just be happy with a P9 and I don’t think anyone in the team is. It was a good boost for everyone, knowing that, at least, the direction we are taking is the right one. Because we changed a lot of things in the car from Budapest. And obviously we know, or feel, that in the corners we are getting to a much better situation. That gives everyone hope heading into Silverstone: if we continue with this philosophy, with this strategy and with this pace of development, we will eventually be one of the fastest cars in the corners. So we have already checked one of the boxes.

Then on the engine side, I think Zandvoort, to be honest, wasn’t a huge improvement. Handling was an issue and it was difficult to feel the extra power in Zandvoort. Maybe at Monza we will have a more real test for the engine. But there is still a long way to go. We have to improve on both fronts, chassis and engine, for next year. It is essential. That’s the most important thing.

What if Aston Martin offered you a few more opportunities to also compete in other categories besides Formula 1?

I think that door is not closed. As we have seen with Lance, doing a GT3 race. I know there will be more GT3 races, in Portimao and in some other places that I have also been invited to. But right now it’s not my priority. There is the Valkyrie program at Le Mans and there are other opportunities. But no, my main goal right now is F1 and that is not going to change.

Do you think that Monza will suffer the same consequences (in driving) as Silverstone or Suzuka with these regulations?

Worse. Is this the worst circuit? Maybe Las Vegas.

Kimi Antonelli will start last due to a grid penalty. What is your prediction about his final position at the end of the race?

Among the top three? It has many strengths. It’s a good thing for him.

The drivers expect many overtakes. Does the fact that you have an (energy) disadvantage on the circuit still allow you to overtake? Do you hope to overtake or do you think you could get stuck?

No.

Does that mean you have to do something different in the strategy?

No, we simply have to spend the weekend in the best way possible. Do the best tune-up we can on Friday and Saturday morning. Do our best lap in qualifying and do our best race from the start to the checkered flag. I think it’s a very difficult weekend for us.

Our main objective has to be the learning process in which we are immersed. Trying to extract more performance from the engine after Zandvoort. Here we have three free training sessions; In Zandvoort it was a sprint weekend. It was difficult to make adjustments to the new engine during a sprint weekend. So I think we have to take advantage of free practice here in the best possible way.

What would you think if the team, both in the chassis and the engine, wanted to change the focus for 2027 to focus on that project and strengthen the position for next year?

I think we have the best team leaders in the entire paddock. They know what they are doing.

What feelings do you have about the second race in Spain? In just a few days we will be competing in Madrid. Again, the entire audience will support you. How do you feel?

I’m excited about Madrid, without a doubt. Another new circuit to discover in my hometown, in Spain. It will be an incredible feeling. Before Madrid I will be in Barcelona on Wednesday. I have an event there where I will also be driving some cars. So I’m excited to go back to Spain next week.

How far do you think you have to follow another car to be in the optimal window to take advantage of the slipstream?

He would probably have to get out ahead of them to take advantage of the slipstream.

Could it be the case that a qualifying lap is almost like a race lap, where you have to be so close?

It depends on each power unit.

Do you still believe that Honda will get back to the level it reached at the end of its time with Red Bull?

100%. 100%. I think Honda’s commitment is enormous. The facilities we have in Japan are among the best. I think the staff and management of the power unit have been strengthened, as Honda said. And many people who were in the previous project are back in this one. I have no doubts and I trust Honda 100%.

We simply have to somehow shorten that process. Unfortunately, we got off on the wrong foot and started this set of regulations without being at the level we wanted. But I have no doubt they will get there. As I have said many times, we do not want to wait five years like they did last time, nor six years. We want to achieve it in two or three years at most.

What would be your best scenario for this weekend? Maximize qualifying performance and then maybe be part of that middle group train and take advantage of the slipstream?

We’ll see. Maybe I’m being too pessimistic and I’ll have a pleasant surprise tomorrow. But I think we are facing one of the most difficult weekends of the season for us, here and in Las Vegas. Maybe Baku too.