Fernando Alonso only scored his second points finish of the season in Canada, but the 43-year-old Spaniard remains undeterred. Despite disappointing results and growing calls from critics for his retirement, Alonso has not lost faith in himself. The two-time world champion – who still considers himself among the elite – emphasizes that a driver must be resilient and that he still enjoys Formula 1.
After a disastrous start to the season – eight races without points – Fernando Alonso bounced back in Spain with a ninth-place finish. In the subsequent race in Canada, he went one better, crossing the finish line in seventh place. With a total of eight World Championship points, he is sixteenth in the drivers’ standings. It’s his worst start to a season since 2015 when he only scored points in his ninth Grand Prix at McLaren. His season starkly contrasts with the ambitions of Aston Martin, which still aims for a place at the very top.
However, Alonso remains calm under the increasing pressure. “I am satisfied with the result in Canada,” he told DAZN. “Sometimes I’ve had bad luck in my career. Others get frustrated when they finish fifth a few times. But I’ve been knocked out in Q1, I’ve blown up thirteen engines in one season. In this sport, you just have to be mentally very strong.” Although calls for his retirement are growing outside the paddock, Alonso doesn’t attach much value to them. “Those are voices from the outside,” he dismissed the exit rumors. “In the paddock, everyone knows who the five best drivers are,” he praised his own status. “Outsiders look at statistics and think that whoever wins the most is automatically the best – but not everyone agrees with that.”
The Stopwatch Decides
Alonso is under contract until the end of 2026, and with the major regulatory changes on the horizon, he remains motivated. Retirement is not an option for now. “I don’t feel it yet,” he emphasized. “I’m happy when I’m on the grid. Even if the results are disappointing, I’m motivated to do better next time.” However, he acknowledges that he doesn’t entirely control the timing of his departure. “The stopwatch will ultimately decide,” he admitted. “If I physically decline, experience pain while driving, or simply am not fast enough anymore – then I know it’s time. But for now, I’m satisfied with my performance.”
The Formula 1 caravan moves to Austria this week, where Alonso hopes to continue his upward trend. However, he has more confidence in the following weekend at Silverstone, where Aston Martin hopes to catch up with the sub-top with a number of upgrades. “Silverstone makes me curious,” concluded the Spanish star. “It’s our home race, with the factory around the corner, and we’re bringing upgrades. In Barcelona and Canada, we were better on Saturday than in the race – we need to analyze that.”
