Watch how Aston Martin made a stunning start to the season ahead of the 2023 Formula One season
Fernando Alonso says he doesn’t expect to end his career any time soon after completing his “best season” in Formula 1 at the age of 42.
In his first season with Aston Martin after joining from Alpine, Alonso finished fourth in the drivers’ standings to claim his highest win since 2013.
Aston Martin made an electric debut with podium finishes in six of the first 10 races, unexpectedly competing with Ferrari and Mercedes, as well as closely contested Red Bull in the early stages of the season.
While his contract with the team is currently only to run for one season, Alonso is still confident of continuing for several years.
“I’ve said many times, even before 2018, the day I stop racing is not because I’m not motivated to drive or I feel lazy,” the two-time world champion at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season. said at the end.
![Get on board with Fernando Alonso as he takes on Sergio Perez in an epic battle to seal a podium place in Brazil.](https://e1.365dm.com/23/11/768x432/fernando-alonso-sergio-perez_6350413.jpg)
Get on board with Fernando Alonso as he takes on Sergio Perez in an epic battle to seal a podium place in Brazil.
“If I feel slow one day, I think it will be noticeable and I will not be happy with my performance and I will be the first one to raise my hand and say it’s time.
“But I don’t think the time will come in terms of feeling slow to be honest, I have a lot of self-confidence in my performance.”
While falling short of an impressive 33rd career race win, Alonso has claimed all eight of Aston Martin’s podium finishes, including second-place finishes in Monaco, Canada and the Netherlands.
“I am happy with the personal performance, I think that with 2012, it is the best season for me,” said Alonso.
![Sky F1's Ted Kravitz sits down with Fernando Alonso to reflect on his career, 20 years on from his first win in Hungary](https://e2.365dm.com/23/07/768x432/skysports-alonso-hungary_6227727.jpg)
Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz sits down with Fernando Alonso to reflect on his career, 20 years on from his first win in Hungary
“Personally, I rate the best season in my driving. I’m happy with everything, I was motivated, I was fit, I’m performing as you said sometimes in difficult conditions, Bahrain , Monaco, Canada, Monza and Brazil will be my top four/five years.
“I put Monza on target because it was A ninth place, it wasn’t a podium, it wasn’t anything people would remember. But we probably had the slowest car or the second cheapest car in Monza and to be in points it was this weekend, everything was very good.
‘Demand schedule’ can stop Alonso driving
Canceled races in China and Italy this year cut F1’s record 24-race schedule to 22, but with a full season set for 2024, Alonso feels the sporting calendar is the only thing that can get him down.
“But it could be the calendar and the required schedule and things like that one day, I’ll feel this time because you know there are other things in life,” Alonso said.
“It was a very demanding season with only 22 races, with two cancellations. Next year with 24, the proper calendar, we’ll have to see how it feels. Although Las Vegas, I saw today it’s a triple header, I don’t. Know why, I thought Vegas was alone next year and then Qatar and Abu Dhabi together.
![Fernando Alonso just pipped Sergio Perez to the podium after an epic battle in the closing stages of the race.](https://e1.365dm.com/23/11/768x432/skysports-alonso-perez_6349760.jpg)
Fernando Alonso just pipped Sergio Perez to the podium after an epic battle in the closing stages of the race.
“I found out now, like 10 minutes ago, that it was three races together. That kind of thing will drain my battery, not my driving.”
While Aston Martin initially exceeded expectations, they struggled in the mid-season, with more disappointing performances at the British and Hungarian Grands Prix, but Alonso accepts the process is part of a learning curve for the team.
“I only see the positive; these struggles are part of the job and part of the journey of this team,” he said. “I think we started really strong with a car that was surprisingly competitive even for us stepping up from last year to this year.
“Then we found ourselves perhaps in a position that we were not ready for, Mercedes, Ferrari, fighting with the top teams. They are used to fighting at the level.
![Fernando Alonso overtook Lewis Hamilton for third place at the restart of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix](https://e1.365dm.com/23/11/768x432/image_6349552.jpg)
Fernando Alonso overtook Lewis Hamilton for third place at the restart of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
“I think we need to find some consistency, maybe some weak points car.” It’s a very tight window to operate in, it’s the same with everyone but it seems we’re struggling a bit.
“It will be good if we can always perform at a stable level and see next year if we can improve the straight line speed.
“I think it was.” [under] Performance in numbers, our weak point was always (we were) too slow on the straights and if we wanted to be as fast as the others, we had to leave the rear wing too much and we ended up slow on the corners. Also, so maybe that was the loop we couldn’t get out of this season.”
‘The decision to travel was a surprise to me’
Alonso says the level of commitment shown by his Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stoll, especially after the Canadian’s poor form, came as a pleasant surprise.
Stoll, who is the son of team owner Lawrence, raced in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix just 12 days after breaking his arms, wrists and legs in a cycling accident.
Alonso was heard on team radio throughout the season trying to help his teammate in any way possible, and once again spoke of the strong bond between the pair.
![Fernando Alonso reacts to Lance Stoll's X Albon overtake](https://e0.365dm.com/23/05/768x432/skysports-motorsport-f1-astonmartin_6148562.jpg)
Fernando Alonso reacts to Lance Stoll’s X Albon overtake
“We talk a lot, we’re in touch every week on the phone, at the factory, In the races and we try to make sure that we are all in the same direction and that we share many things,” Alonso said.
“He’s been through some struggles this year; The car was just changing its behavior a little bit and he was struggling a little bit more than me and now we fixed some things in the car and now he is back in top form.
“His dedication, his courage, through the highs and lows, was very impressive. With the broken hand at the beginning of the year, like I said, with some struggles in the middle of the season. Again in place.
“He finally did after I think the race in Mexico and Brazil, the race in Vegas, it was amazing to me, the level of commitment, the level of motivation he has, it’s just good news and good things for the team. “
24 races in 2024! Watch every round of next season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Bahrain Grand Prix from 29 February to 2 March. Stream F1 on Sky Sports NOW
require.config("shim":"facebook-sdk":"exports":"FB","baseUrl":"https://www.skysports.com/","paths":"skysports_com":"static/skysports_com-c193bfb877ffd","skysports_digrev":"static/skysports_digrev-d0f51cffa2bb8","skysports_legacy":"static/skysports_legacy-1fc4d92072fe2","skysports_ipad_components":"static/skysports_ipad_components-9347556046b82","skysports_sap":"core/js/../static/js/skysports_sap","requireLib":"static/require-2.1.0-15f03d8ff7a4b","class":"static/class-55bbf080a62c3","countdown":"static/countdown-b387bb40118ae","energize":"static/energize-bac53226fb-93aea85fe6a04","hammer":"static/hammer-a592776ebb-f14662ea8bb34","marker-clusterer":"static/marker-clusterer-3911fd8c83740","moment":"static/moment-1.7.2-33075cfd4ad32","reqwest":"static/reqwest-a845dfd832-dea6ebed2de7d","scroll-pane":"static/ftscroller-280c6900bc-ed5e878ea6190","underscore":"static/lodash.custom-d1cf24f7f366e","adaptive-content":"static/adaptive-content-1fc383fae518a","article-widget-betting":"static/article-widget-betting-7a9641160b027","app-bridge":"static/app-bridge-30b975666386a","article-advert":"static/article-advert-fa40febcc7b0f","article-outbrain":"static/article-outbrain-bba64c5034e96","autocomplete":"static/autocomplete-62886d6993248","autocomplete-lite":"static/autocomplete-lite-76d43ae628a4e","accordian":"static/accordian-87ec71ccbfdd1","betting-lines":"static/betting-lines-31e5cdbecf2bc","bskyb-omniture":"static/bskyb-omniture-0a6b60cdb4dc0","bskyb-omniture-1-2":"static/bskyb-omniture-1.2-ef8627d226d42","calendar-url-builder":"static/calendar-url-builder-863fca999d8c8","carousel":"static/carousel-cfdab6400e999","carousel-lite":"static/carousel-lite-520eccc372b67","close-me":"static/close-me-1dd5bf41462eb","content-stream":"static/content-stream-4ceef3bbd096b","content-swap":"static/content-swap-bdbe29a70d8f9","countdown-widget":"static/countdown-widget-459a93f477481","comments-reply":"static/comments-reply-81d5853bdd03b","cookie":"static/cookie-072824b3a5047","android-notice":"static/android-notice-58d95f174579a","create-audio":"static/create-audio-f77436036a203","dataset":"static/dataset-487d6875fe94d","datepicker":"static/datepicker-b112a28bd151b","datepicker2":"static/datepicker2-d10188465db39","dom":"static/dom-f554c2354ab77","dropdown":"static/dropdown-de4729ed67884","dropdown-select":"static/dropdown-select-bbaa962ff8888","element-listener":"static/element-listener-39391d1341a3c","environment":"static/environment-d24a016d1c736","events":"static/events-e6bde13ac56dc","facebook-sdk":"//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all","form":"static/form-269f9f014d35a","form-chart":"static/form-chart-8e3b2b92c7e77","form-validation":"static/form-validation-76d631ee9c0fb","html-poller":"static/html-poller-db12e18d06d04","implicit-personalisation-display":"static/implicit-personalisation-display-2bc93246729e4","implicit-personalisation-storage":"static/implicit-personalisation-storage-a4eb341b47077","implicit-personalisation-removal":"static/implicit-personalisation-removal-7556598e29ff5","inverted-listener":"static/inverted-listener-07a7ace73331d","iscroll-lite":"static/iscroll-lite-bf22458ad30dc","keyboard-listener":"static/keyboard-listener-f6b30a391df5b","keyboard-view":"static/keyboard-view-5a68be0e6dc00","lazy-images":"static/lazy-images-f5238f2864a52","live-article":"static/live-article-95ba706f060b3","live-cricket":"static/live-cricket-4d6fa4651f344","live-sport":"static/live-sport-db2b39a357d02","live-update":"static/live-update-945d95543ad61","live-refresh":"static/live-refresh-5ebefb5206c82","live-refresh-darts-table-controller":"static/live-refresh-darts-table-controller-d6c7bb8af0efe","live-refresh-darts-table-view":"static/live-refresh-darts-table-view-5c4f5e87a3cb2","live-refresh-football-controller":"static/live-refresh-football-controller-461aca93a03fe","live-refresh-football-view":"static/live-refresh-football-view-e722175c6f5eb","live-refresh-fixture-update-controller":"static/live-refresh-fixture-update-controller-1234617fddd04","live-refresh-fixture-update-view":"static/live-refresh-fixture-update-view-aae190ead42d7","live-refresh-live-golf-leaderboard-controller":"static/live-refresh-live-golf-leaderboard-controller-c78264eefa25c","live-refresh-golf-matchplay-controller":"static/live-refresh-golf-matchplay-controller-141ff1ce16821","live-refresh-golf-matchplay-view":"static/live-refresh-golf-matchplay-view-562c7eea1e08b","live-refresh-match-header-controller":"static/live-refresh-match-header-controller-db2b9bbacac74","live-refresh-match-header-football-view":"static/live-refresh-match-header-football-view-f9ce5b3e5bde3","live-refresh-match-header-rugby-league-view":"static/live-refresh-match-header-rugby-league-view-34aa9cc8d67be","live-refresh-match-header-rugby-union-view":"static/live-refresh-match-header-rugby-union-view-a6b7dda93027f","live-refresh-match-stats-controller":"static/live-refresh-match-stats-controller-db8736f4b3e01","live-refresh-match-stats-view":"static/live-refresh-match-stats-view-62f02d64e4cd2","live-refresh-gp-standings-controller":"static/live-refresh-gp-standings-controller-aa40463310354","live-refresh-gp-standings-view":"static/live-refresh-gp-standings-view-b820cc96d1d26","live-refresh-tennis-controller":"static/live-refresh-tennis-controller-5681743439cec","live-refresh-tennis-view":"static/live-refresh-tennis-view-28ddbf0727027","live-refresh-news-list-controller":"static/live-refresh-news-list-controller-ee45762f7dbe7","live-refresh-news-list-view":"static/live-refresh-news-list-view-9c47d574e49d4","live-refresh-livefyre-pinned-controller":"static/live-refresh-livefyre-pinned-controller-44287b34c8506","live-refresh-livefyre-pinned-view":"static/live-refresh-livefyre-pinned-view-a78229a5d01c4","live-refresh-live-table-controller":"static/live-refresh-live-table-controller-053e53c72d2a5","live-refresh-live-table-view":"static/live-refresh-live-table-view-acc034f23d117","live-refresh-live-table-static-view":"static/live-refresh-live-table-static-view-bbff46626848e","live-refresh-masters-live-panel-controller":"static/live-refresh-masters-live-panel-controller-b237958f07549","live-refresh-matchplay-table-controller":"static/live-refresh-matchplay-table-controller-c8d653e8ec9e1","live-refresh-matchplay-table-view":"static/live-refresh-matchplay-table-view-aafd4fb26b14f","live-refresh-ryder-cup-controller":"static/live-refresh-ryder-cup-controller-737295aac3b2e","live-refresh-ryder-cup-view":"static/live-refresh-ryder-cup-view-8975b104d8f84","live-refresh-status-lookup":"static/live-refresh-status-lookup-58cee7af21a4a","live-refresh-switch":"static/live-refresh-switch-122a55d025f32","live-refresh-team-events-controller":"static/live-refresh-team-events-controller-4cb3d870d779b","live-refresh-team-events-view":"static/live-refresh-team-events-view-705c641b015af","live-text":"static/live-text-bbd7665a86991","live-refresh-swingometer-controller":"static/live-refresh-swingometer-controller-b7ade1b72e79a","live-refresh-swingometer-view":"static/live-refresh-swingometer-view-425bcd02cb919","livefyre-auth":"static/livefyre-auth-d30ce39d9f031","livefyre-social":"static/livefyre-social-2ef6165825d8a","load-into":"static/load-into-6af455f20f3bd","load-more":"static/load-more-765d8e57df5c0","load-more2":"static/load-more-05a9bb0171a4e","match-head-switch":"static/match-head-switch-b85e40ff913e7","load-more-inline":"static/load-more-inline-6ee576a87aef2","load-more-once":"static/load-more-once-b9144ab829181","map":"static/map-94fcb75a28607","media-query":"static/media-query-0296e4082a758","now-tv":"static/now-tv-8700a2f7d2f1e","most-popular":"static/most-popular-c1147764fe234","observable":"static/observable-6a091c15b9a4a","open-top":"static/open-top-3eff6bd9d5565","overlay":"static/overlay-b444bdc049b12","overlay-widget":"static/overlay-widget-56d2dc14d6d21","page-nav":"static/page-nav-479fc6b85357e","parse-date":"static/parse-date-6463ce015eee7","page-filters":"static/page-filters-5f38de0bf6eeb","persistent-autocomplete":"static/persistent-autocomplete-8459865f00a4f","polaris-glint":"static/polaris-glint-90f846e5378ec","pikaday":"static/pikaday-ce6be92da6c09","pl-clip-promo":"core/js/modules/core2/pl-clip-promo","poller":"static/poller-b0ddbff69a6a9","polls":"static/polls-2ef656ad8404e","poll-ig":"static/poll-ig-e17180cbcc564","media-playlist":"static/media-playlist-ebc8d2abe3e18","postpone-load":"static/postpone-load-2ae208049e0f1","postpone-load2":"static/postpone-load2-6ad484e51343f","postscribe":"static/postscribe-3737e3c2f9-f3bc808a8b738","pub-sub":"static/pub-sub-9323318c11e08","roadblock":"static/roadblock-edae35c62e3c7","update-content":"static/update-content-b6fc0cfd94862","script":"static/script-27238830c957e","scroll-to":"static/scroll-to-97ec63ad7135c","section-nav":"static/section-nav-3aff450804b4f","selectable":"static/selectable-f199bca8d8e16","selectable-list-view":"static/selectable-list-view-3330035b870a5","share-button":"static/share-button-606792a8e7289","site-layout-primary":"static/site-layout-primary-d66ac28011c25","site-nav-desktop":"static/site-nav-desktop-9b1b26877d782","sky-go":"static/sky-go-44fd25b3a1748","skyid-login":"static/skyid-login-9f5140a550d32","is-loggedin":"static/is-loggedin-69dfe40b9565f","sky-sports-date":"static/sky-sports-date-e985472a648e9","squad-selector":"static/squad-selector-45e17c533f3a2","social-map":"static/social-map-8bc134219358b","sp-player":"static/sp-player-5ef6b052166d3","sticky-scroll":"static/sticky-scroll-4ccc7640bda1f","string":"static/string-19008c0fbd461","swipe-nav":"static/swipe-nav-18987ddd0e3ed","subscriber-video":"static/subscriber-video-5d8435b0ea5ab","table-sorter":"static/table-sorter-7d5988301396e","table-sorter-lite":"static/table-sorter-3d24f6a403740","tabs":"static/tabs-b20fcf8e1c825","tabs-lite":"static/tabs-lite-cb10daad481bf","tabs-filter":"static/tabs-filter-1ef8b2a921435","tab-navigation":"static/tab-navigation-68b7c289a7569","team-formations":"static/team-formations-a90922defa046","thumbs":"static/thumbs-0cf143fb65daa","toggle-class":"static/toggle-class-dd3a8c4ce2c14","toggle-switch":"static/toggle-switch-4b14c9522febe","trending":"static/trending-e0bb96dbc6ece","trigger-event":"static/trigger-event-580cd06dcede1","tv-guide":"static/tv-guide-495271c3f333e","update-html":"static/update-html-7913f53b11d6f","update-text":"static/update-text-82964c420cfb8","user":"core/js/modules/user","util":"static/util-b69470ac564b1","validator":"static/validator-f3b00bc96d618","vidiprinter":"static/vidiprinter-e8c9174ecfa73","vm-suppression":"static/vm-suppression-9a7148a4170ba","web-notifications":"static/web-notifications-a91a27e944caf","widget":"static/widget-e29945f3a184a","widget-lite":"static/widget-lite-a450505656ea9","widget-loader":"static/widget-loader-a0232be50e094","window-observer":"static/window-observer-b10f792cfb582","your-say":"static/your-say-3b2bbc5fcf119");
require(['skysports_digrev', 'sdc-site-pub-sub'], function (appController, pubsub) );
1 Comment
nice