VWB Blog e
After Fernando Alonso’s move to Aston Martin on a contract scheme of 1+1+1, the entire racing world was amazed: it turns out, he plans to compete in Formula 1 until he’s 44 years old. The 2023 season with 8 podium finishes, an unprecedented fourth place in the overall standings for the team, and the “move of the year” according to fans at the FIA Gala proved that #14 is worth every penny even at 42 years old. In terms of strength and reaction speed, he doesn’t lag behind his younger opponents. During the presentation of the AMR24 for the new championship, everyone learned that he passed physical tests during preseason training at the best level in his career and is now considering whether to extend his career. At Mostbet pl you can bet on upcoming F1 races, or events in other sports.
How many more years does Alonso plan to compete?
The oldest Formula 1 driver in history was the French pilot Louis Chiron. He participated in his last Monaco Grand Prix in 1955 when he was 55 years and 292 days old. In today’s Formula 1, drivers over thirty years old are considered older. Louis’s record is unlikely to be broken anytime soon. Among the drivers who reached their sixties are: Philippe Étancelin, Artur Legat, Luigi Fagioli, Adolf Brudes, Hans von Stuck, Bill Aston, Clemente Biondetti, Louis Rosier, and Rudolf Scheller. They all participated in races in the 1950s.
Of course, over more than half a century, conditions in F1 have changed, and competing until old age is now unrealistic. But Alonso has a chance to set a record for age among contemporaries. Here’s what he says about his plans:
“A few years ago, I would have said that 42 or 41 years old is the limit. Last year, I saw that there is motivation and good performance, and now I think I can race for a few more years. This winter, I exceeded expectations in physical tests, so I would say that with motivation and desire, you can probably compete until 48, 49, or even 50 years old. At the same time, you have to sacrifice everything in life. F1 requires complete dedication. I can race for a few more years, but I don’t know if I’ll want to compete at 50, given such a tough schedule. Not because of a lack of skills, but because other things in life interest me. When I make a decision, I will sit down at the negotiating table with Aston Martin and say, ‘Okay, I’ve made up my mind’.”
What tests did Alonso take?
“At the media session after the ceremonial part, the veteran explained, ‘Usually, we perform the same tests year after year. The first block is in the Italian Alps, in the mountains. We’ve kept all historical data on my body’s performance and cardio at one, two, and five kilometers, as well as during recovery periods, and a thousand and one tests of fat-to-muscle ratios, reactions, and maximum weights in the gym. Some tests over the last five years have shown minimal declines in results, especially in terms of muscle, because from 30 to 35 years old, you start losing a bit of muscle mass.
But this year, I managed to return to peak levels. Partially thanks to nutrition, we changed it. We tried to gain some muscle back to compensate for the age factor but without losing reaction speed and cardiovascular endurance. It turned out surprisingly successful, and I’m thinking very positively. Now Aston Martin has hired a dedicated nutritionist specialist, and he’s been a real find.
He changed our approach slightly to how we look at things and assess the body. There’s so much they know in terms of better explanations! For example, shifts towards a diet more based on plant-based foods. Maybe not entirely strict, but in that direction, to try to find a bit more energy in food, a bit more in reserves and the body, and add more endurance to it.’
The next step is to rest better from Grands Prix and disconnect from work. In winter, he reduced the number of advertising, marketing, and sponsorship events and was able to dedicate a good winter to good preparation – in his own words. ‘I trained more calmly, even though the season ended slightly earlier than previous ones, and I had more time for preparation.
But this winter turned out much more fun than all the previous ones. Before, I always had something to do in winter: lots of public events, or changing teams and going through necessary acquaintances and procedures at factories. This time, I finally managed to devote time to myself, and drive other cars, which helped me go through the preseason in the best shape of my life.’ He plans to maintain the same vector in 2024. ‘It will be my 24th season in F1 or something like that. I’ve devoted over 24 years of my life to this sport, and I’m happy about it, it’s normal for me. I’ll be able to continue for a few more years. But yes, I don’t know how much I’ll manage with such a calendar and other busy schedules. Maybe until 50 years old, maybe not.'” Alonso said.