Just over a week ago at Monza, Fernando Alonso overtook Kimi Raikkonen in Formula 1 starts – now both have 350 Grands Prix, but the Finn has already retired and the two-time world champion has signed a contract with Aston Martin this year and from 2023- Go will play for the team from Silverstone.
At the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix, Alonso will set a new record for sporting longevity, but he plans to make it to the 400 grand prix.
“I know the number of starts because they are reminded of it every weekend, but I don’t pay much attention to it,” Fernando told RacingNews365. “I’m happy to have been racing in Formula 1 for many years and as I still have two years to play in the championship, I will definitely reach the 400-race mark.
This speaks volumes for both my love of the sport and the self-discipline that allows me to continue to perform at the highest level. If you don’t show results, the teams won’t give you the option to spend 400 Grands Prix.
Assuming Alonso starts all remaining races in 2022, he will have 356 starts at the end of the season. There are 23 races scheduled for 2023 and if the Spaniard continues to drive for Aston Martin in 2024, as his two-year contract suggests, it is easy to calculate that his number of Grand Prix starts will indeed reach and exceed 400.
However, this will only be a record for Formula 1. Thanks to legendary American racer Richard Petty, who played in NASCAR from 1959 to 1992, 1184 starts.
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.
