Alonso and Alpine could agree future in ’10 minutes’

Michelle Foster
Fernando Alonso putting on his race suit. Montreal June 2022.

Alpine driver Fernando Alonso putting on his race suit on the grid. Montreal June 2022.

Fernando Alonso says it shouldn’t take “more than 10 minutes” to sort out his future with Alpine, if of course both parties agree they want to continue together.

Alonso is out of contract with Alpine at the end of this season with the Spaniard making it well known that he wants to continue racing in Formula 1.

The only question is with which team.

The double World Champion has been linked to Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin seat after the 35-year-old announced his retirement.

But it seems, at least for now, that Alonso is leaning towards staying with Alpine.

Asked about his future, the 41-year-old said he reckons it will take them all of 10 minutes to sort out a new contract for 2023, if of course both parties on are the same page.

“I will be on holidays and the bosses will be on holidays as well,” he said in Hungary. “So we need to take some video calls or whatever.

“But when two parties, they want to agree on something, it takes 10 minutes.

“When two parties they don’t, or they fight to agree on something, then maybe one of the sides is not happy. So it will not take more than 10 minutes with whatever I can talk.”

Fernando Alonso standing near his Alpine car on the grid before the Spanish Grand Prix. Barcelona May 2022.

But while he reckons Alpine are as keen to continue working with him as he is with the team, he concedes that if the Enstone team doesn’t want him, he won’t force the situation.

“I would like to stay here, but there are two parties and I will not put a gun to the head of anyone,” he said.

“Okay, we will open the negotiations.

“And as I said, you know, if we agree on something, it will be a 10-minute conversation and if we have to fight too much it will be longer.”

As for Vettel’s open seat at Aston Martin, Alonso made it clear that Alpine is his first choice but he’s not saying no.

“All the teams are an option,” he said, “as long as they don’t have two drivers signed.

“My priority is to be with Alpine because we’ve been working and developing this project together for two years now. We are more and more competitive.

“And probably my wish is to stay but we didn’t sit down completely and move things forward. So still, everything ongoing.”

 

Looking ahead to the Hungarian Grand Prix

The Hungarian Grand Prix is the final race before Formula 1's summer break.