Fernando Alonso has explained how the support from his close ones provided an important factor in his recent decision to remain with Aston Martin in Formula 1.
Following the announcement that he has penned a multi-term renewal, Alonso will continue his partnership with Aston Martin into F1’s next rules overhaul in 2026.
Despite admitting he felt fitter than ever, Alonso, 42, had pondered whether to extend due to the commitment required with the sport’s growth to a 24-race calendar.
Alonso has revealed that his main doubt over penning a new deal emanated from concerns that his schedule would prevent him from spending time with his family.
However, the two-time World Champion has divulged that conversations with relatives and their promise to attend more races reassured him about competing in F1.
Asked how he decided he wanted to extend, Alonso told media including Motorsport Week: “Yeah, I mean, I will never be 100% sure. But I felt that I love too much driving, that I cannot stop at the moment.
“And I think the sacrifices that you have to make are smaller than the joy of driving and the passion that I have for driving.
“So I breathe Formula 1, I live Formula 1, I train to be fit to drive Formula 1 cars. I eat to be fit to drive Formula 1 cars.
“It didn’t arrive, the moment that I felt I need to change my lifestyle. My lifestyle is great and I love what I do. I will not be happy sitting at home and watching Formula 1 races, because at the moment, I feel I should still be there, because I can do a little bit better there or I can go faster in this conditions or that conditions. That moment didn’t arrive yet.
“My biggest concern, or the bad side of driving, is just missing my family and not having a normal life or my own family at that one point or whatever.
“But on this regard, I said OK, let’s see year by year, month by month, I spoke with my family, they will come also more often to races, all of them are coming to Miami now, my mother, my sister, my two nieces.
“We decide and we planned to make some changes also for the things that I miss or the things that maybe worries me to keep racing to don’t miss those things. I think we all arrive into that conclusion.”
Alonso’s latest deal ensures that he will continue driving into his mid-40s and will see him surpass 450 grand prix starts, extending the all-time record that he retains.
It will also see Alonso reunite with Honda, who he condemned in public when he branded its 2015 power unit a ‘GP2 engine’ upon its disastrous return with McLaren.
However, the Japanese marque’s success with Red Bull since has encouraged Alonso that the arrangement is the best place for him to land an elusive third F1 title.
The ex-McLaren driver has continued to deliver at the top of his game in 2024 and labelled his recent outing in Japan as a “top five” weekend in his entire F1 career.
Aston Martin occupies fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship after the opening four rounds, with Alonso having amassed 24 of the team’s 33 points thus far.
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