Aston Martin team boss reveals what surprised him about Fernando Alonso

Aston Martin F1 team principal Mike Krack has said that he has been surprised by Fernando Alonso's lack of 'stardom' during their time together.

The two-time world champion joined the British team at the start of the 2023 season, replacing the retired Sebastian Vettel. It has been an excellent start in the green for the Spaniard, who finished on the podium in Bahrain and Jeddah.

On the F1 Nation podcast, Krack said that he has not been surprised by anything major about Fernando Alonso:

"Nothing, really. We sat down before we started our collaboration, and we examined his strengths and discussed what to expect. We have someone here who is pushing quite intensively and who brings a lot of enthusiasm and energy to the team but is also very fast and efficient in his communication."

Krack continued:

"If there is one thing that has surprised me, there is no stardom. He is a very honest and authentic guy and normally when you get someone like his records, you think, 'Will I get a star, or might have special requests?' But that's not the case at all. He's very normal and easygoing; of course, a fast car helps,"

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Aston Martin F1 ambassador on what he admires about Fernando Alonso

Former McLaren driver and Aston Martin F1 ambassador Pedro de la Rosa has said that the quality he likes the most about his fellow Spaniard Alonso is determination and focus even when he does not drive a competitive car.

Speaking to F1.com, he said::

“There are many world champions who lose their edge when they no longer have a competitive car. Fernando is not like that. He's maintained his level and his motivation. To have achieved as many F1 podiums as he has and to still have that same hunger as when he first started, despite not having a competitive car for so many years, is something I really admire about him.”

De la Rosa continued:

"It would be a dream come true to see Fernando crowned world champion again. He deserves it. Anything you do in life, if you give your best, sooner or later you will be rewarded, and Fernando has given his best for decades. When you consider the journey, he's been on, everything he's put in and everything he's been through, winning the world championship again would be a fitting finale to a remarkable F1 career."

It will be interesting to see if Alonso wins his third world title this season with Aston Martin.