Fernando Alonso reflects on the harsh realities of F1, revealing how he had to compromise fairness to stay competitive.
Fernando Alonso has revealed that over the years, through his experiences, he has come to understand Formula 1 and how it operates. As the Aston Martin F1 driver prepares to reach 400 Grands Prix this weekend, the journey hasn’t always been smooth.
In fact, Alonso was notably absent from media day, citing feeling unwell and opting to rest ahead of his return to the track tomorrow. Reflecting on his career, the Spaniard shared that he had made a conscious effort to accept certain aspects of the sport, though eventually grew tired of them, leading to his first retirement.
“I’ve evolved, I’ve learned things, I’ve accepted things that I eventually stopped accepting at certain points in my career,” he told F1’s official broadcaster. “I have a sense of justice and fairness, but in Formula 1, you have to disconnect from that.”
“There’s no real fairness here, and sometimes there’s no justice. You just have to deal with the unique aspects of the sport. There’s a lot of politics, many interests, and decisions that might not be as important in sporting terms. The context is different, and you have to accept that.”
“If you want to be part of the circus, you have to accept certain things. If not, you need to find another category to race in. That’s exactly what I did in 2018. I wasn’t happy with myself, I wasn’t enjoying Formula 1 at that time.”
“It wasn’t just about what was happening on track but also off-track, with Mercedes’ dominance. I felt it was the right time, but I still loved motorsport and driving cars, so I wanted to try the Indy 500, Le Mans, all of that.”
“Then I came back to F1. I’m enjoying it more now—not because the sport has changed much, but because, once again, I’ve accepted the things Formula 1 offers, and it’s a case of take it or leave it.”
Alonso acknowledged that while much of the 2010s brought him enjoyment, the final two seasons before his initial retirement were particularly tough. “I enjoyed my time at Ferrari, despite the results. I was fighting for championships, won some races, and appreciated the Italian culture, the tifosi, and the experience of being a Ferrari driver.”
“Those years were happy for me. Then I joined McLaren during the Honda era. We faced performance issues, problems with the power unit, all the things everyone knows about.”
“But I still enjoyed it because I loved Japan and the connection between McLaren and Honda. It reminded me of my father, who was inspired by the Senna-Prost Formula 1 cars when building my first kart, a replica of that era. So, I look back fondly on that time. Then, in 2017 and 2018, the enjoyment faded, and I decided to stop.”
“I’ll work with Aston for many years”
When asked about his future after his current contract expires, Alonso is reluctant to dwell on it for now, though he acknowledges the need for discussions with his team: “I don’t want to stress too much about it. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about it.”
“I think I’ll see how I feel, how motivated I am, and I’ll definitely talk with Lawrence and Adrian to determine what’s best for the team. I have a long-term commitment to Aston.”
“I’ll be working with Aston for many years, whether it’s behind the wheel or in another role. And as I’ve said, because we’re embarking on this personal adventure of working with such talent as Adrian, I want to experience that from behind the wheel, absolutely.”
“But I’m not too afraid of working alongside Aston and seeing them win, even if I’m no longer driving. If I feel that I’m no longer able to give the team what it needs behind the wheel, and if someone else can do a better job, I’ll be very honest about it. I won’t be disconnected from the team. So, if we do win one day and I’m no longer driving, I’ll still enjoy it in my own way.”
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Alonso: Disconnecting from Justice Key to Surviving in F1 Alonso: Disconnecting from Justice Key to Surviving in F1
