Alonso Unveils Major Setbacks to Aston Martin's 2025 Racing Ambitions
Jan.20 - Fernando Alonso has played down the prospect of a big step forward for Aston Martin in 2025.
The Spaniard has contested an incredible 21 full seasons in Formula 1 - and by the end of his current contract, he will be 45 years old.
Alonso, currently 43, says his competitive desire is as strong as ever.
"Even now, after more than 20 years, if I go to a karting track and I look at the times and I'm half a tenth behind the fastest one, I still have the same inner rage - the same frustration, the same anger," he said on a DAZN special.
"I might not even eat dinner that night."
However, he openly admits that he is feeling the effects of age. "I think that over time you have to change and adapt your body," said the two-time champion.
"You can't eat the same foods at 40 as you did at 20. You don't have the same muscle mass at 40 than you do when you're 20. So for my diet I do a little more research, with nutritionists, following a bit of the vegetarian way. But I still feel very strong."
Alonso also admits he ended the 2024 season is quite poor physical shape.
"The end of the year was difficult for me," he confirmed. "I had an intestinal infection, fever, antibiotics, and after recovering internally, I was beaten up in Brazil in the muscles of the back, in the bones of the collarbone and shoulder from the jumping of the car."
He is excited about the looming arrival in March of Adrian Newey at Aston Martin, but plays down the impact the renowned technical genius can have at least in 2025.
"Certainly not in 2025," said Alonso when asked if he can be a race winner and title contender again. "The cars will be the same as last year and it will be practically impossible for us to make such a big jump.
"Hopefully it will be better than in 2024, but we will not win the championship. There are changes coming in the regulations and Adrian Newey will start working on the 2026 project from April."
Alonso, though, says he is used to battling with inferior equipment.
"I had only had one kart when I competed as a kid," he said, "and a set of dry tyres that my father made the kart with. In Asturias it rains a lot and when the other kids put on rain tyres, I raced with dry tyres because we didn't have any money.
"And this carries over to this day. We have the budget for tyres but we don't have Ferrari's wings or McLaren's underbody. So the story of my life is a bit about competing with weapons that are a bit inferior to the others and adapting."
As for whether he keeps racing in F1 beyond 2026, Alonso suggests that it depends on how the first Newey-designed Aston Martin fares.
"Hopefully I can enjoy more podiums, some victories and fight for the championship," said Alonso. "But I know that 2026 is a year that is a mystery to everyone.
"Hopefully it will fall in our favour. But we just don't know."
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