F1: Fernando Alonso about to Join Aston Martin in 2023, Signs a Multi-Year Deal

Fernando Alonso, the man who dethroned Michael Schumacher and broke his 5-year run of the world championship with Ferrari, now joins Aston Martin in a multi-year deal starting from 2023.

Fernando Alonso has signed a multi-year deal with the British Team after the retirement of Sebastian Vettel, and all this happened on the cusp of the Hungarian Grand Prix The two-time world champion, who won his third world championship with Alpine in 2021 after a two-year absence, will begin a multi-year contract with Aston Martin in 2023.

With the most Grand Prix laps completed and the second-most races won, Alonso, who just turned 41, is the oldest driver on the grid. He is seen to be driving at a level equivalent to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen even at the age of 41, where his form is still strong. He has experienced problems with the average Alpine automobile, which has likewise shown to be unreliable.

Before Vettel’s surprising retirement, Alonso was tipped for a renewal of his contract with Alpine. Alpine was likely to have offered a one-year deal with him transitioning to some of its other motorsports programs. Alpine has Oscar Piastri waiting in the wings, the 2021 F2 world champion who has been described as a prodigy. Considering Esteban Ocon is contracted till 2025, a long-term contract wouldn’t have been on the table for Alonso, hence Aston Martin must’ve been attractive.

“I have known Lawrence and Lance [Stroll] for many years and it is very obvious that they have the ambition and passion to succeed in Formula 1. I have watched as the team has systematically attracted great people with winning pedigrees, and I have become aware of the huge commitment to new facilities and resources at Silverstone. No one in Formula 1 today is demonstrating a greater vision and absolute commitment to winning, and that makes it a really exciting opportunity for me." said Alonso.

He further added, "I still have the hunger and ambition to fight to be at the front, and I want to be part of an organization that is committed to learning, developing, and succeeding. We all appreciate that there is much to be done to get to the front and that we must apply all our energies in working together to find performance. The passion and desire to perform that I have witnessed convince me to maintain my enjoyment and commitment to the sport. I intend to win again in this sport and therefore I have to take the opportunities that feel right to me,"

This is a significant coup for Aston Martin because Vettel changed his mind about retiring just four days before the Hungarian Grand Prix. Its alternatives were restricted and included reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg or Mick Schumacher of Haas, who Vettel had named as his replacement. It also wants a past world champion in that position, which Vettel fulfilled when it became obvious that he and Ferrari would split in 2020. Alonso has comparable qualifications to Vettel and might even be more driven.

Alpine may have been playing hardball or haggling the terms of the deal with Alonso, but when he saw a chance to drive for a club with resources and a mid- to long-term interest in him, he seized it.

Lawrence Stroll has made a large investment in the team, including a new factory, a new wind tunnel, a new technical director hired from Red Bull, and possibly even a new engine, while Aston Martin languishes at the bottom of the F1 constructor's standings. On the other hand, Alpine thinks it is on a 100-race schedule to compete with teams like Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes. Although neither project is guaranteed to succeed, Aston Martin is investing more and is looking for a driver of his caliber for the long haul rather than someone who will eventually hand the reins to a talent like Piastri.

Alonso will become the most seasoned F1 driver in the history of the sport thanks to a multi-year contract. This also means that he will be driving a Mercedes-powered vehicle for the first time since the F1 hybrid era began. In 2014, he used a Ferrari engine; in 2015, 2016 and 2017, he used a Honda engine. With Alpine, he also gets a Renault engine from 2018, and from 2019 forward, he will drive a vehicle with a Mercedes engine. McLaren switched to Renault engines in 2018.