MADRID, 12 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Spanish driver Fernando Alonso welcomed on Thursday the moves that Aston Martin is making to achieve “that first victory and be able to fight in the future” for the Formula 1 World Championship, although he knows that this “takes time”, something that, “in a certain way”, he does not have, and he reiterated the “great addition” that the arrival of Adrian Newey represents, who he believes was convinced by Lawrence Stroll’s “vision”, the upcoming improvements at the factory and the alliance with Honda.
“Step by step we are getting everything we need to get our first win and fight for championships in the future, although I am aware that this takes time and I, in a way, don’t have it. But I am relaxed and enjoying the journey,” said Alonso at the press conference ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
In this regard, the two-time world champion confirmed that after 2026 he will be “driving in Formula 1 or in some other category”, but made it clear that “in some way” he will continue to be linked to the British brand.
The Spaniard explained that they cannot “predict the future” but he knows that the team has “many things coming up in the next few months”, particularly the wind tunnel, which will be “a turning point and a great leap forward”. “Two years ago Aston Martin was in a very small building, now we have doubled the staff and we have these new facilities,” he added.
“It’s been a positive week for the team. Newey is a great addition and I think Aston Martin is the team of the future. We’re inaugurating new buildings, we’re going to finish the wind tunnel, we have Honda, Aramco, which is the best partner in the world, and now Newey. The team is taking shape, as is Lawrence’s vision (Stroll, team owner),” said the Spaniard.
The Oviedo native confessed that he sent “some messages” to the British engineer to try to convince him to join Aston Martin. “Everyone wanted to work with him. I saw him at the Monaco GP where I spent half an hour talking to him. We all tried to persuade him and I think that in the end Lawrence’s vision, the new factory and the future of the team alongside Honda ended up convincing him,” he said.
Regarding the engineer’s involvement in the team, Alonso believes that “the focus will be on 2026, which is when the regulations change.” “He starts in March and until you find your place in the factory, you get to know everyone, it will be April or May. I don’t think we’ll have to spend much time in 2025 unless we’re fighting for a championship, which I hope we can do,” he said.
Finally, he spoke about this weekend’s race in Baku. “Every race seems different and seems to be a bit different. In the mid-range class it’s so tight that one or two tenths can make a difference and I hope Baku will be one of the positive weekends for us. Last year it was a Sprint session so we only had a few free practice sessions and it was difficult,” he recalled about Aston Martin’s chances at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.