Team boss Otmar Szafnauer said Alpine had offered the Spaniard a 2023 contract with an option for 2024, but the 41-year-old “wanted a little longer”. On leaving the Hungaroring on Sunday night, Alonso told him they would continue negotiations in the coming days, and on Monday morning Aston Martin issued a press release regarding the contract with the Spaniard.
Otmar Szafnauer: “We have offered Fernando a one plus one contract. I said that if he performs consistently at a high level next year, we will definitely leave him. But he wanted more certainty.
There comes a time for everyone when something changes physiologically and you cannot perform as well as when you were young. It was the same with Michael Schumacher – at age 42 he was no longer the same racer he was at age 32 or 35. That is why I have offered Alonso a contract for one year with the possibility of extension.
Szafnauer said he was aware of Aston Martin’s interest in Alonso following Sebastian Vettel’s decision to retire – and saw Alonso and team owner Lawrence Stroll leave Aston Martin’s motorhome in Hungary together.
Otmar Szafnauer: “Even during the discussions I was sure there was nothing wrong with exploring other options – we were so close to a deal. I asked a question but was told they didn’t sign anything. So I was surprised when I heard about the contract in the morning.
I have not communicated with Alonso since then. Now he is on a yacht in the Greek islands. But I’m not worried about the rest of the races this season. Our goals are clear. We want to be at least fourth in the constructors’ championship. I have written to Fernando and will call him. He is an athlete and a professional, he wears a helmet and only thinks about how to finish as high as possible.
Oscar Piastri told us he’s currently exploring his options, whatever that means. All I can say is that we have always fulfilled our obligations to Oscar. We’d love to take him with us, but there are some subtleties involved in moving from a reserve pilot contract with options to a main driver contract.
I am not aware of his previous agreements with McLaren, if any, but I hear the same rumors as you. But I know he has contractual obligations to us, and we to him.
Source: F1 News
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
