F1 News: “Demanding Calendar” Forces Fernando Alonso to Consider Retirement

There was a time in Formula 1 when racing well past your 50s was a common thing. Louis Chiron, the oldest driver to ever race in F1, was 55. The sport wasn’t as fast or as demanding back then. But the modern-day Formula 1 has become a sport for the young, with 40 considered to be too old for driving current generation F1 cars. However, Fernando Alonso is proving all of that wrong, still going strong at 42. But it seems like the ever-expanding and demanding F1 calendar is forcing Alonso to consider retirement despite feeling fit enough to continue for many years.

The 2024 Formula 1 season is going to be the longest one in the sport’s history, with 24 races spanning from February till December. While it is all the more fun for the fans of the sport to have more and more races each season, it is extremely demanding on everyone who’s involved in the sport, especially the drivers who are supposed to do the most important job of all week in and week out. Fernando Alonso, who’s turning 43 this July, has said that while his love for the sport and desire to drive an F1 car has not dwindled, the demands of the sport will eventually take a toll on his body.

Fernando Alonso feels like he can drive till 50 in Formula 1

Alonso is in the final year of his contract with Aston Martin. So it’s natural to talk about whether the veteran driver will continue beyond that. He has also been linked with a drive for Mercedes in 2025 as the replacement for Lewis Hamilton, but it’s all behind closed doors as of now. When asked about his future in F1 by Autosport, Alonso made it clear that his loyalties lie with Aston Martin.

Whether or not the green team will re-sign him is irrelevant for the Spaniard, as he said that he just loves to drive, regardless of what he is driving. In terms of fitness, he said that he has exceeded his own expectations in the recent physical tests. “This winter, I’ve been exceeding a little bit the expectations in terms of all the physical tests and everything that I did. So I will say that if you are motivated. And if you want to commit, you can drive maybe until 48 or 49, or whatever, or even 50,” Alonso told Autosport.

However, Alonso feels that committing to F1 means that you’re compromising on everything else in life. “I gave my life for 24 years to this sport, which I’m happy… And I’m okay with that. I can keep doing it for a few more years. But I don’t know if I will be racing until 50, with such a demanding calendar and things like that. Not for the abilities, but because there are other things in life…”

READ MORE: “Don’t Think Hamilton and I Will be Friends”: Fernando Alonso Slams Former McLaren Boss as Reason behind Lewis Rivalry

Amidst the rumors of joining Mercedes in 2025, Fernando Alonso has recently spoken of Hamilton’s motives to switch to Ferrari.

Alonso finds Hamilton’s childhood dream claims to drive for Ferrari a hard pill to swallow

Lewis Hamilton stirred up the driver market when the news of his Ferrari contract came to light on February 1st. When asked about his motives for leaving Mercedes after such a long and successful partnership with the team, Hamilton explained that it was always his dream to drive for Ferrari. However, Fernando Alonso isn’t buying into the reasons given by his former rival.

In a recent report from Motorsport.com, Alonso questioned Hamilton’s claims, suggesting that Hamilton may have had different aspirations just a few months ago. “It was not his childhood dream 12 months ago, no? Or two months ago, I guess. It was a different dream.” However, he also gave his best wishes to the 7-time world champion, saying, “Maybe Lewis can bring that extra to fight for the championship…”

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Do you think Fernando Alonso would still consider Aston Martin over Mercedes a few races into the season if Mercedes had a quicker car? Share your insights in the comments below.