Fernando Alonso’s drive to a podium finish in the Qatar Grand Prix demonstrated that his love for Formula One is still alive and well. But how much longer do we have to wait for the Spaniard to return to the grid?
Fernando Alonso has stated that he intends to stay in Formula One once his current deal expires in 2022.
After a two-year layoff, the Spaniard returned to Formula One this season with Alpine and has impressed fans with his performances, particularly his recent third-place finish in the Qatar Grand Prix, which marked Alonso’s first podium in the sport in seven years.
Following the upcoming retirement of Kimi Raikkonen, Alonso will be the oldest driver on the grid next year at the age of 40, but that isn’t stopping him from staying in Formula One for a little longer.
“I will be [here beyond 2022],” Alonso told the podcast when asked if he will stay after 2022 if the car is good.
“And even if the car is not so good! But yeah, my plan is to stay [for] at least two or three years more.”
F1 return was a “privilege”
Alonso has been enjoying his comeback to Formula One and confesses that he considers himself fortunate to have been able to do so, given that many drivers never get the chance to compete in the sport.
“I did enjoy [it] a lot,” the two-time World Champion said. “Because I think I came with a fresh mindset.
“I was happy to come back. I felt privileged to come back.
“It’s not that [in] the previous years I didn’t feel that way, but I was more aware after two years out about how lucky we are, driving these cars. Only 20 drivers in the world [get to do this].
“There are many, many talented drivers that don’t have even the opportunity to drive a Formula 1 [car] in their career. And I had the luck to choose when to stop, and when to have a break, and again the luxury of when to come back, and I had that opportunity.
“So I came with that sense of… Yeah, I was very grateful to the sport, to the team, to everyone, and I did enjoy every second.”
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