"He’s got a few years left" - Fernando Alonso's former team principal backs driver to stay in F1 for few more years

Fernando Alonso's former team principal, Paul Stoddart, recently spoke about the Spaniard and how he still has it in him to continue in F1.

Despite being the oldest driver on the grid, he's still one of the very best. In the first two races of the 2023 season, he stood on the podium, finishing third, right behind the reigning world champions Red Bull.

Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Stoddart praised Fernando Alonso's potential and dove into how he can still race at the highest level for a year or two. His passion and dedication to racing is clear as day whenever he pulls down his visor. Alonso's former team principal said:

"No, I’m not really surprised. Because if you’re good enough – and Fernando is good enough – if you are determined enough and you have still got that fire in your belly to want to go out there and, if you can’t win the race but do the best possible thing you can do, then he’s certainly no slouch."

He added:

"So he’s still up there with them – the race craft, the ability, the natural talent, the hunger, it’s all still there. None of it has gone away. Now, age is going to catch up with him, but it hasn’t yet. I reckon he’s got a few years left."

Furthermore, Stoddart explained how Aston Martin would greatly benefit if they allowed Fernando Alonso to simply race without any conditions or policies. He's capable of becoming a great team leader and even pushing his young teammate, Lance Stroll, up the grid. He concluded:

"I think he’ll be a massive asset to Aston Martin, provided there’s no politics in the team."

Alonso has expressed how the passion for racing is still very much alive in him, and he can easily race in F1 for a couple of years.

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Fernando Alonso delighted after podium finish in 2023 Saudi Arabian GP

After the 2023 Saudi Arabian GP, Fernando Alonso shared his thoughts on Aston Martin's performance this season. He's delighted with the car and the team and pleasantly surprised with the steep improvement in performance. He said:

"What a start to the season! Probably unthinkable from one month ago when we launched the car. They have made a fantastic car and a fantastic execution in strategy. The Red Bulls may be a bit out of reach but the rest are behind."

Alonso briefly lost third position after the FIA gave him a ten-second penalty for not serving the first time penalty correctly. However, after Aston Martin discussed the details of the situation with the FIA, the governing body took back the penalty and reinstated the Spaniard's position.