Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Formula 1 driver, expressed his intent to stay with the team. If he extends his stay in F1 beyond this season, current team would be his first choice.
Following Lewis Hamilton’s decision to switch team had sent ripples through F1 driver market. It opened a seat at Mercedes, which speculated Alonso’s return with the German team.
However, the Spaniard insists that Aston Martin will remain his first choice. But insists that first he will have to decide his future with the sport.
“If I want to keep racing, let’s see what the options are,” he said. “My first priority will be always to sit down and discuss with Aston.
“They gave me the opportunity last year to join this organisation, which I’m very proud to be part of, with the new factory, with everything that is going on, there is a great future in this team. I want to explore every possibility to race for many years here.”
Alonso who will turn 43 is concerned about his long term career in F1.
“I think there are a couple of phases that I need to go through,” he said. “First of all, I need to decide myself what I want to do for the future. If I want to commit my life, again, for few more years to this sport, which I love.
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“But I love driving, I’ve been driving all over winter, different cars; a DTM car, car cross, rally car, go-karts. I love F1, but generally, I love driving. So if it’s not F1, I will find myself happy in any other form of motorsport, and maybe having more time for my private life, which is also very important, at this age.”
Alonso added: “But this is a decision that I need to do with myself. I need to think, and I need to commit to a team eventually, and make sure that I understand that the next few years of my life, it will be that team, and 100% of my time.
“Once I do that decision I want to sit with Aston Martin, and say, okay, I made this decision, and I would love to continue with this project. Because I think we did a good step forward in the last year. We built a lot of things together, we have this new facility here, we have everything to succeed for the future. I trust this project.
“So that will be my first priority when I say that I want to speak first with Aston Martin, because I feel part of this project very much.”
