Alonso: In Formula 1 you always make some sacrifices

In an interview with the Aston Martin F1 press service, Fernando Alonso summarized the results of last season, in which he stood on the podium 8 times and took fourth place in the individual competition, not far from third place. The main tone of the interview is that the two-time champion is no longer as happy as he is now when he works with the team from Silverstone.

Q: What about the 2023 season?
Fernando Alonso: Incredible season! And probably twelve months ago, even ten months ago, when we presented our car, we did not expect such results. So our trip was exciting!

From a driver’s point of view it was truly gratifying to see the determination and focus on results that characterized the team this year. The AMR23 was fast straight away, but Formula 1 is a very difficult and competitive sport, so we had to keep upgrading the chassis and strive to increase speed. Overall the season was very intense.

Question: When the AMR23 first hit the track for testing in Bahrain, many were surprised by its speed. You too?
Fernando Alonso: Yes! There were moments during pre-season testing where I thought something like, “This is all too good to be true!” And when it came time for the first race, we were as competitive as we were during testing and finished in the top three.

I felt like an opportunity opened up for me and the team to achieve some important results. There was a feeling that our joint project was really beginning, and it was a kind of magic.

Q: In the past, at some points in your career you have not always achieved the success you had hoped for. Did you feel relieved this time?
Fernando Alonso: I was very happy with my decision. In Formula 1 you don’t have a magic crystal and you can’t predict what will happen next year, but when you decide to change teams and suddenly get the chance to fight for the podium places, it’s one of the most joyful feelings!

Q: Would you say you are happier now than at earlier stages of your career? At some points in the last season you felt like you were enjoying your work more than ever before…
Fernando Alonso: I feel like I enjoy my work more than ever and I go to the races with a special attitude. A lot has to do with the team. The team is young, full of enthusiasm and the atmosphere in the garage and at the Silverstone base is just full of energy. The new Aston Martin F1 Campus itself puts everyone in the right mood and can be seen as proof of the team’s serious ambitions.

In addition, through my experience I know what is really important and what is not so important, and I know where to spend energy and when it is better to save it. It is important to fully focus on the results on Sunday and also try to put the team in a positive mood. I enjoy all aspects of the work.

Question: You made your Formula 1 debut in 2001. What is your source of motivation now, after all these years? How do you ensure that you stay focused?
Fernando Alonso: What can I say… Seasons 2019-2020. I missed it – I think there was some sort of complete reset happening then. I recharged my batteries and came back into 2021 with renewed vigor and renewed motivation, and that continues to this day. I think without that break it would have been difficult for me to maintain the correct posture, train intensely and all that.

I am a very goal-oriented person and love the spirit of competition. I like to set certain goals for myself. Ultimately, like everyone else, I want to win. But even if this goal seems unattainable, I set myself goals of a different kind: it could be in the top five, it could be a podium. This also gives the right atmosphere.

Q: Does your job require a certain amount of self-denial?
Fernando Alonso: Certainly. You make some sacrifices, and sometimes you realize it, and sometimes this realization only comes after five years. You may have to give up some things you would like to do, or you may not see your family and friends as often as you would like.

Family is very important to me, I like to spend time with my family. I always thought that at this stage of my life I would already have my own family, that there would be children, but I am already 42, and I still don’t have them. On the other hand, I’m doing something I enjoy. I do what I do best, and I have never tried anything other than motorsport.

Therefore, when I look in the mirror in the morning, I feel that I am happy with everything. I have sacrificed a lot for Formula 1, but I don’t regret anything.

Question: Mike Krak, our team leader, believes that Monaco was the closest you came to victory. According to him, he has never seen such determination and focus on success in anyone. How do you manage to reach this state?
Fernando Alonso: We should try to focus on some details. On certain weekends you try to make sure everything is as perfect as possible because you think there is a chance to succeed. But such calmness cannot be maintained for more than a few days, otherwise you will simply be completely deprived of energy. But I try to achieve this state every race weekend: sometimes the concentration level is higher, sometimes it is not so high.

In Monaco I probably gave a little more for it, but you can’t always do that. Formula 1 is the environment in which we work and requires determination, also off the track. Experience allows me to regulate this somehow and set the right priorities.

Question: What goals will you set for yourself in 2024? Do last season’s successes influence your expectations in any way?
Fernando Alonso: I don’t think anything will change for me in this regard, as each new season is a task with many unknowns. Anything can happen in Formula 1. When we test next year or come to the first race, we will see how everything works.

Whatever goals we set for ourselves, I believe we must be willing to adapt them. Hopefully we can be competitive again, regularly fight for points and podiums and hopefully get our first win. Then the dream would become reality, but we should not underestimate the complexity of this task.