Alonso: “Fangio won his third championship at 44, which means I will be 44 in 2026”

Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), two-time F1 World Champion One of the great figures in Spanish sporting history, he will once again be one of the great attractions during next weekend’s Olympics. Spanish Grand PrixThe 10th World Cup will be held at the Montmelo Circuit (Barcelona).

In Second half of the interview with Agencia EFE Within the framework of the event organised by Aramco, the Silverstone team’s main sponsor, at the circuit museum named after the two-time Asturian world champion, Alonso commented inter alia: What about his relationship with F1’s current ruler, Dutchman Max Verstappen, who is adamant that once he turns 50 he will no longer be in the premier category? But no one wants to continue competing. And they won’t rule out competing for the title again within the next two seasons.

Question: You’ve met many great champions. Would you say that the one who is most like you among them is Max Verstappen?

A: That’s probably the most similar, yes. It’s because I come from a country like Holland (sic) where there is very little tradition (in F1). The whole country is obsessed with this. And now you see orange stands at all the circuits. In my time it was blue.

He’s also a guy who really loves racing. And when the F1 race is over, he puts his backpack on and goes home and goes to the simulator again. Or he goes to another car, a GT3… So he’s the driver who I think has the most similar lifestyle to mine, yeah.

Q: You’ve matched up on track with one of the most decorated drivers. German Michael Schumacher and Briton Lewis Hamilton both have seven titles. Another German, Sebastian Vettel, has four wins. And now Verstappen is chasing fourth place. What are the good and bad points of each of them?

A: It’s hard to say without knowing them. But as rivals, they were all very strong. Unfortunately, I think they had very little. The rivalry is always tough, and over the years, there are always clashes in the races. But they are extraordinary people. On and off the track.

And Michael as a driver was fierce and insatiable, you know? I was always looking for something more. Whether the car was good or bad, Michael was always there.

Hamilton is blessed with extraordinary talent, and because he always had an ace up his sleeve, he achieved results that exceeded initial expectations.

And Verstappen is… well, he’s naturally fast. He’s fast in all conditions. He makes no mistakes. And he’s a nearly infallible pilot.

Q: The first major champion in the premier category, Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio, won his third of five World Cups at age 44, and he still had two titles left to win. What does that thought suggest to you?

A: I’ll be 44 in 2026 (laughs).

Q: That might be a good sign, right?

A: That’s for another time. I think it’s more difficult now. But well, in F1 it depends a lot on the car and the weapons you have in your hands. In 2026 the regulations change. Maybe suddenly your team makes a car that’s a bit better than the others. And maybe you win the World Cup. The possibility is always there and you have to fight for it.

Q: Will Fernando Alonso still be in F1 at 50?

A: No.

Q: Is that so?

A: No, no. Definitely not. But I’ll definitely continue to compete. I love racing. Last weekend I watched Le Mans (the 24-hour race) on TV and you’re kind of bitten by the memory of when I raced there.

Then there’s the Dakar – it’s an exciting race and I’ve seen Carlos Sainz win and dominate at the age of 60, so I hope to keep on racing it for many years to come.

Q: There was “Alonsomania” at the beginning of this century, when you exploded with an exciting first win and some great performances that ultimately led to two titles (2005 and 2006). But last year a kind of “Alonsomania 2.0” happened, with eight podiums in your first season with Aston Martin and even more appeal to the younger generation. Another immaterial record. How did you experience it?

A: Yes, it is true that we have noticed it. We had a lot of new fans who got hooked last year. Yes, since 2023, we have had good results again.

And yes, we try to support them, we try to give them joy, we try to make them proud every Sunday when they are on the track, and it’s very good for a new generation to get to know F1.

Q: After such a successful career you had absolutely nothing to prove, but then last season when you saw yourself on the podium regularly again, did you feel a certain sense of relief or something similar? Because as soon as he had a competitive car again he was back on top.

A: Well, I’m happy for myself, for the fans, for the team… but as you say, I had nothing to prove. Thankfully, because he already had a career and a lot of success in F1 and other categories (outside of F1 he won the WEC, the World Endurance Championship and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice), because he just came from competing in other categories.

But after that podium with Aston Martin I felt competitive again and I think a lot of people are happy about that.