It has been 17 years since Fernando Alonso won the last of his two world titles but the 41-year-old is confident in his belief he can add a third with Aston Martin.
Alonso is honest enough to declare that will not be this year but he has seen enough in his short time with the team following a winter move from Alpine that there is “a possibility” for next season.
It is a bold statement from Alonso, aired at the launch of this year’s AMR23 at Aston Martin’s Silverstone headquarters where a new factory is due to open in May.
The notion seems far-fetched when you consider that since the team became Aston Martin in 2021, it has only notched one podium in 44 grands prix.
But with the new factory, the addition of 400 people, and a new wind tunnel that is due to come online in the summer of next year, Alonso can sense the team’s trajectory is likely to be swift over the next couple of years.
Asked whether he still harbored hopes of winning races and a third title, and whether he could do it with Aston Martin, with candour, Alonso said: “I do believe that.
“But I don’t think this year, I’m honest on that. I have my feet on the ground, so I cannot say to anyone we will be fighting for victories this year. I would lie if I said that.
“But at the same time, we want to have a good car to start with and to work and develop that car throughout the season.
Alonso – A good baseline needed
“Maybe in the second part of the year, we can get closer, if there is an opportunity, if there are changeable conditions, if there is something, so when that opportunity comes, we will not miss it.
“At the beginning, I expect some difficult races until we find where the car operates, and in which window the setup we have to work with.
“I think we have more possibilities to fight for wins and podiums next year if we have a good baseline this year.
“I believe that what we will have this year will not be our normal position.”
Alonso – test programme ‘unfair’
Alonso is frustrated by the fact he will have just a day and a half to appreciate the nuances of the AMR23, a situation he finds ridiculous in today’s modern world.
The car will undergo a shakedown at Silverstone on Wednesday, one of the two permitted filming days, before the three days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit from February 23-25 when he split driving duties with team-mate Lance Stroll.
“The first five or six races with Alpine, I struggled a lot to feel the front end, (there were) different power steering settings, all these things,” said Alonso on joining the Anglo-French team two years ago.
“This year, we have only a day and a half of testing in Bahrain, so I am aware that I will not be 100 percent in Bahrain, not in Jeddah, and maybe not in Australia (third grand prix).
“So that’s a little bit unfair. I’ve said this is the only sport in the world where you do a day and a half of practice, and then you play a world championship.”
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