Australian Grand Prix 2022 – Fernando Alonso wants to continue but Alpine has already planned everything

Fernando Alonso on Friday raised the wealth issues Alpine is facing this season. The French team has changed standing thanks to its new engine and appears capable of taking the place of third force on the board from Mercedes, entangled in porpoising problems of which it cannot identify the origin.

Friday morning in the Melbourne paddock, site of the Australian Grand Prix, the Spanish veteran sent a clear message to the competition and also to his boss, Laurent Rossi: at 41, he is not done with Formula 1, far from it.

« Last year, I think I did the right thing.he estimated. This year, we’ll see how it goes, but it’s a question of performance and not age. ». Returning to the world championship circuits in 2021 after a two-year break, the Oviedo native had repeatedly wondered that his age was a topic of discussion to cast doubt on his motivation or speed. « I think if I was 25, we wouldn’t be talking about that, it’s a question of age »he repeated, at an FIA press conference.

Piastri arrives

Last year, the 2005 and 2006 world champion experienced a slightly longer rehabilitation than he had announced himself. But he ended up on an equal footing with his young teammate Esteban Ocon. In qualifying first, since he had shared the status of best driver of the Blues on a lap (11-11) in 22 sessions. Then at the end of the championship, concluded in tenth place with 81 points, one rank and seven units ahead of the Norman, winner of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

« I think I still feel competitive and fast and I’m having a good time in Formula 1, so I guess I’ll be racing a few more years, two or three years. »said the driver with 336 Grand Prix participations, 32 victories and 22 pole positions.

Alonso sees himself 20 years ago

Recalled at 40 to replace Daniel Ricciardo who left for McLaren, Fernando Alonso has won his bet but he is at the same time aware that Alpine must prepare for the future. During 2002, Renault had decided to separate from Jenson Button in 2003 to make him a starter and, 20 years later, he finds this situation to his disadvantage.

It did not escape it either, Alpine used the uncertainty around the presence of Daniel Ricciardo, positive for Covid the week before the season opener in Bahrain, to sign an agreement with McLaren making Oscar Piastri his replacement in case of unavailability of the Australian or Lando Norris throughout the season. Clearly, Alpine wants to start its nugget as soon as possible because the schedule will accelerate. Alpine intends to fight regularly for podiums and even victory in 2024, and there will be no question of using this season as a learning season.

Alpine has in its breeding ground a driver of undeniable talent, who is making the other teams salivate and there is no question of it leaving him in the back of its garage for long as it is doing this weekend.

Fernando Alonso has grasped the equation well with his manager Flavio Briatore and is open to anything to solve it in 2023. « If it’s with Alpine, it will be good, if it’s with another team, it will be good too. I will start these discussions probably during the summer,” he warned. In view of the competitive and potentially free seats in 2023, its room for maneuver still seems limited.