Alonso speaks to the media for the first time after knowing his signing for Aston Martin.
The news of the summer in Formula 1 has been the unexpected signing of Fernando Alonso by the Aston Martin team for the 2023 season, breaking off negotiations with Alpine, his current team. This Thursday, the Asturian driver has met again with the French team and also with the media, before whom he has left some other ‘message’ to his team.
And, specifically, the messages have been addressed to Otmar Szafnauer, who since this year has been the head of the French team. Szafnauer himself claimed to have learned of Alonso’s departure to Aston Martin through the press release and, indeed, Alonso has revealed that he was not informed of his decision… because he was not involved in the negotiations.
“The leadership of Alpine and Renault – Laurent Rossi and Luca de Meo – except Szafnauer, were informed of my decision before the statement. Otmar was not involved in the negotiations,” Alonso told reporters at Spa-Francorchamps… and explained clearly the reasons that have led him to change scenery at this point in his career.
“I received a call from Aston Martin after Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement. They wanted to know my contractual situation and asked me if I had already renewed with Alpine. I told them no, that I was just having conversations,” said the man from Oviedo.
“We sat down to talk and I shared my conditions. They accepted and told me about the project, with new additions, new facilities… We reached an agreement. We signed and my signing was announced on Monday,” he said.
“Every year they would evaluate me for my age”
And why did you leave the Alpine project? Alonso is very clear on this subject: “At Alpine every year they were going to evaluate me for my age. However, at Aston Martin I have found that they welcome me with open arms and place their trust in me. They do not look at the passport, but at the results When the results are bad, I will be the first to leave.”
Alonso is clearly referring to the unequal treatment that has taken place between him and Ocon since last year. His partner, for example, has a multi-year contract signed until the end of 2024, when his results and performances are regularly worse than Alonso’s. And the problems of reliability, almost always touch the Spanish.
In addition, Alpine, whenever he could, pressed with the fact of having a young promise like Piastri on the bench. “I understand, they had to find a solution. Luca de Meo already said it. When I finished (my time in F1), they could count on him. When you feel too much in one place and in another they welcome you with open arms , that’s the best place to go,” he said, referring to Aston Martin.
And, in the midst of all this, the season continues. Alpine is in fourth place in the Constructors’ World Championship, just four points ahead of McLaren. Facing the final stretch of the course, Alonso sets himself the goal of getting back on the podium “and enjoying it all together”.
