Alonso Chooses Championships over Numbers as 400th GP Nears

Fernando Alonso dismisses the significance of reaching 400 Grands Prix, emphasising his desire for more championship titles instead.

Fernando Alonso admits that the prospect of reaching 400 Grands Prix by the end of this season is not an ultimate goal for him. The Aston Martin F1 driver would have preferred to secure more titles rather than simply rack up races in the pinnacle of motorsport.

“It’s obviously nice, and I acknowledge the figure, but some of these statistics don’t really interest you. I’d have liked to have raced half of those 400 Grands Prix and won another championship, or have won more races. Those are the most important statistics you aim for,” Alonso concedes.

The Spaniard insists that age is not an issue, noting that maintaining mental strength is more challenging than physical fitness: “It’s not great for your back, neck, or spine. I think Formula 1 technology has also progressed, and the cars are now a bit more comfortable for the driver.”

“It’s true that ground-effect cars are a bit tougher, but over the past two years, I think technology has also advanced. Seat comfort, safety equipment, helmets—everything has evolved to improve the driver’s experience. That’s a good thing.”

“The pace of the car on Sundays is much slower compared to the past when we used to refuel. Now we have to manage tyres, energy, and so on. The only physically demanding moment of the weekend is usually qualifying, and it’s very short.”

“So it’s not a problem to keep up with the younger drivers in terms of physical fitness. The challenge is more mental. The travelling, the events, and the pressure are probably what affect you the most and might eventually lead you to stop racing.”

F1 was “more grounded in the real world” before

Alonso reflects with nostalgia on a time when Formula 1 was more about the paddock than the internet: “Today, everything revolves around social media. Before, it had to be more in the real world. I think we’re in a good position today.”

“Formula 1 is extremely popular worldwide, especially in the United States. That’s thanks to Liberty Media and all the initiatives they’ve introduced. The teams are now highly professional – a lot of discipline, budget caps. So, I believe we are probably experiencing the best era of Formula 1.”

“However, it’s true that in the past, especially with pit stops, you had a lot more strategic options – starting with more fuel, less load, doing three stops, or just one. We didn’t have to manage as many things as we do today.”

“Back then, we raced with around 30 kilos [of fuel] on board, and the qualifying pace was only about a second slower than the race pace. Now, with the battery and fuel load, we’re sometimes seven seconds slower at the start of the race.”