Former McLaren team coordinator Jo Ramirez believes Fernando Alonso can win his third F1 title if he sticks with Aston Martin for another two or three years. Ramirez compared Alonso to Alain Prost, who retired from the sport at the age of 41.
Alonso is the oldest driver on the grid by quite a margin but still performs at the highest level. The two-time world champion finished on the podium at the 2023 Bahrain GP, confirming Aston Martin's great pace this season.
Ramirez, who has worked with drivers such as Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen, believes that the Silverstone-based team is on the right track. He also believes that Alonso could potentially win his third title in the sport if he sticks with the team for a few more years.
Speaking about Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin, Jo Ramirez told AS.com:
"Hopefully. If Aston Martin continues in this line and he endures two or three more years he can achieve it. The team is on a proper path. Red Bull, and especially Helmut Marko, criticize them for having copied them but that's how F1 has worked for a long time. In addition, Alonso is at a magnificent age. When Alain Prost retired he was 41 years old and at his best."
Fernando Alonso opens up on racing with broken bones last year
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso revealed that he competed in the 2022 F1 season with fractures in his hands. In the Q3 session of the 2022 Australian GP, the Spaniard suffered a crash that led to a hand injury.
Alonso stated that his injuries were not completely healed until August last year. He also said that he frequently felt discomfort while driving his Alpine F1 car during various GPs.
Alonso told Motorsport.com:
“In my case, I broke a few bones in both hands last year. So, until August, I was not fully recovered. I had some pain, but we love driving!”
Prior to the commencement of the new F1 season, Lance Stroll - Alonso's teammate for 2023 - endured wrist fractures as a result of a cycling mishap. Nonetheless, Stroll exhibited exceptional mental fortitude by finishing the season opener in P6, and Alonso was quick to praise the Canadian driver's remarkable perseverance in Sakhir.
As Aston Martin seems to have developed a car with the ability to win races, it will be intriguing to witness whether Alonso can recapture his position at the summit this year.