Fernando Alonso says the arrival of Honda as a works accomplice as a part of Aston Martin’s ongoing challenge was key in him signing his longest-ever contract on the age of 42.
Aston Martin introduced Alonso will probably be staying with the workforce into 2026 – when Honda joins as energy unit provider – on a multi-year deal that can see him racing till he’s not less than 45. The Spaniard says the safety of being a part of the identical workforce into the brand new energy unit laws was essential, but additionally sees himself contributing to the challenge past his racing days.
“It was an vital level, I cannot lie,” Alonso mentioned. “To decide to a one-year challenge it didn’t make sense for me. It’s not that I had one-year proposals elsewhere or something like that, I used to be simply very clear to Aston within the first dialog that the interesting a part of this challenge is all the things that we’re constructing; the brand new campus final 12 months, the wind tunnel this 12 months, it might be the brand new laws in 2026 and Honda coming in as a accomplice.
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“For me that was a should, I believe, to actually enter new laws with a brand new challenge, with a brand new wind tunnel and likewise with Honda as a accomplice. It was one thing for me that was very, essential.
“A part of the choice to remain at Aston is as a result of they’re with Honda for 2026, with Aramco the largest and finest accomplice on the planet. Now we have unbelievable proficient folks on the technical facet now that can profit from the brand new wind tunnel and the brand new services at Silverstone. There have been a variety of elements that made 2026 very interesting with Aston.
“That was a theme however its not solely 2026, it’s a lifetime challenge for me in a approach – that is the longest contract I’ve ever signed in my profession. That is one thing that can hold me linked with Aston for a lot of, a few years to return – let’s see which position; what number of extra years I’ll drive.
“Even after driving I’ll use 25+ years expertise in F1 plus 10 or 15 outdoors F1 – so practically 40 years of motorsport expertise – to the advantage of a workforce that gave me this chance now on this second of my profession. So that is additionally very interesting for me and I’m extraordinarily motivated for the subsequent years to return.”
Alonso – who admits he held preliminary talks with different groups however by no means critically entertained a transfer elsewhere – says he will certainly drive for the subsequent two seasons as a part of his new contract, however is assured he and Aston Martin can collaboratively determine when he reaches the stage that he ought to cease racing.
“I’ll drive for positive, let’s say… I believe it’s troublesome to actually touch upon it as a result of I can’t predict when I’ll cease racing, or when I’ll develop uninterested in racing. For positive, it’s not going to occur in ’25 or ’26 as a result of, as I mentioned, I affirm that one of many motivations was to enter the brand new laws and to work with Honda.
“However I don’t know [the end point], let’s put it like that. At the least two extra years. However then I cannot go into the specifics of what number of years nevertheless it’s a variety of years to return with Aston and to make some progress in different areas. And once I’m racing, I’ll do my finest to win with this workforce and to be aggressive, however I’ll really feel the identical if we will obtain some nice issues and success even once I’m not driving, and I can assist the workforce to realize nice issues, even in a special position.”
