Fernando Alonso has spoken to the media for the first time since confirming his move from Alpine to Aston Martin next season, answering a number of questions about how the deal worked out.
He will move from a team currently fighting for fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship to a team ranked ninth, Alonso said. No one has a crystal ball to guess the future. At the same time, in Formula 1 and other sports, you either win or you lose. 4th place, 9th place, 13th place, it doesn’t matter.
“Within the possibilities we had in mind for next year, we felt that this was the right thing to do and that the project has some elements for the future, usually synonymous with success in Formula 1. If you invest, you get the best talent.Let’s shorten that time as much as possible and see if we can make Aston Martin number one as soon as possible.”
A factor in the leap was that he felt more wanted and valued at Aston Martin. According to team principal Otmar Szafnauer, he was only offered a one-year contract by Alpine, but it was more than just length.
“We were moving around[in the Alpine contract negotiations]with a lot of different things and maybe we didn’t agree on principles,” he said. “It’s not just about agreeing on the length of the contract, but it’s also about the trust you feel in the place and how it’s expected in the place. Whether it was just temporary or the fact of the clock. I know it was, but they are happy.
“It’s always been a strange feeling. Like I said, I felt it was the right decision to move to Aston because they really wanted me and the last few years I’ve done. Because he seemed to appreciate all the performances.”
Alonso also explained why Szafnauer didn’t know about the transfer until the official press release. The driver informed Alpine senior management, but not the team boss.
“For sure, Othmar probably didn’t know anything, but before the announcement (Alpine CEO) Laurent Rossi, (Renault Group) president Luca De Meo, my mechanic and my I let the engineers know,” he said. “All parties involved in the negotiations were notified prior to the announcement from Aston Martin.
“Othmar was not involved in the negotiations. Perhaps Laurent and Luca did not call him before the announcement and he was surprised by it. But all the people I was negotiating with , I was informed before my move to Aston was announced.
Alonso will fill the vacancy left by Sebastian Vettel, who announced he would retire from F1 at the end of the 2022 season. A day after Alonso’s transfer was announced, Alpine said reserve driver Oscar Piastri would be part of the 2023 F1 driver line-up alongside Esteban Ocon. However, the 21-year-old tweeted a few hours later: “I understand that without my consent Alpine F1 issued a press release late this afternoon stating that I will be driving for them next year. This is a mistake and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
Piastri has reportedly promised McLaren a future, with McLaren saying on Wednesday that it would be best for them to “mutually agree” with Daniel Ricciardo to leave at the end of the season. It will be subject to an approval committee and a hearing will be held next week.
More Formula One Coverage:
.
Comments
Post a Comment