McLaren boss Zak Brown this week referred to Formulation 1 title hopeful Max Verstappen as the person in horror movies who simply can’t be shifted throughout his look on The Sports activities Agent podcast.
He made that remark within the context of the 2025 F1 title struggle which, initially, was considered between McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris – just for the four-time world champion to take pleasure in a late resurgence and put himself within the dialog.
But when that’s what Verstappen is to Brown, then what would his former McLaren colleague Fernando Alonso be? As a result of on the age of 44, the two-time F1 world champion remains to be going sturdy. He holds the championship’s grand prix begins document with 423 – 45 greater than second-placed Lewis Hamilton – he’s in his twenty second season after making his debut in 2001 and it seems as if Alonso has no intention of stopping anytime quickly.
There has, after all, been conversations this 12 months about whether or not the Spaniard is previous his greatest, contemplating it’s been a tricky season for his Aston Martin squad and is 12 years since his final victory, which got here on the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.
But Alonso then responded to stated doubts by performing brilliantly in qualifying for Saturday’s Qatar Grand Prix dash race by sticking himself on the second row. He’ll begin fourth behind the McLaren duo and Mercedes man George Russell and two spots above reigning champion Verstappen for what will probably be his highest beginning place of the 12 months – beating fifth at Imola, Budapest and Sao Paulo.
“Yeah, I imply, 24 years expertise, 44-year-old, it has some disadvantages,” stated Alonso, who certified 12 spots above team-mate Lance Stroll.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / LAT Pictures through Getty Pictures
“I get a bit extra drained with the jet lag and the travelling, however I do know the tracks, I do know the tyres, I do know the automotive, I understand how to trace every part on Friday. Then on Saturday, it is true that we are able to open the parc ferme.
“We do change the automotive a little bit bit, minor tweaks, and yeah, everybody appears to get on high of the circuit. However yeah, let’s examine, let’s go one step at a time. Let’s do tomorrow, the dash race, after which into quali [for Sunday’s grand prix].”
What makes Alonso’s motivation extra exceptional is that he has been caught preventing within the midfield for fairly some time now, marking a stark distinction from his early days having change into world champion on the age of 24.
Aston Martin is eighth within the 2025 championship with two rounds remaining and is and not using a podium since 2023, when Alonso took eight of them throughout his debut 12 months with the Silverstone squad.
So, for Alonso to nonetheless be pushing the staff is admirable, although what helps is the widespread regulation change that may come into impact in 2026 with alterations to each the chassis and energy unit.
“Possibly again in 2022, the winter after the 2022 season, clearly after I joined Aston Martin, I knew that the staff was progressing properly that winter and 2023 could possibly be an excellent season,” stated Alonso, who made the shock transfer from Alpine.
Alonso’s final podium was the 2023 Brazilian GP
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / LAT Pictures through Getty Pictures
“So I used to be excited at the moment. Now it is a change of rules. There are extra unknowns now of what the rules will probably be, which staff will begin in a greater means. However yeah, I believe excited for positive.
“Additionally this 12 months, as I stated earlier than, it is robust. We’re not actually in competition for any huge issues. So we simply wish to end the season in the easiest way attainable – these subsequent two races are necessary.
“For the constructors’ championship, we’re all in 5, seven factors and we now have three alternatives to attain factors, two right here in Qatar, one in Abu Dhabi and we wish to outscore the rivals. So yeah, excited, subsequent 12 months goes to be fascinating.”
Not solely would an excellent end result within the dash probably assist Aston Martin leapfrog Haas into seventh, as only one level separates either side, however it might additionally cease the specter of ninth-placed Sauber slicing its four-point hole to the British marque.
Extra reporting by Stuart Codling.
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