Since Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement from Formula 1, many have been raising questions about who should replace the German at Aston Martin Racing. Well, you can put all those discussions to rest now, because we have confirmation on who’ll suit up for the British team next season: Fernando Alonso.
That means veteran and former world champion Vettel will be replaced by a fellow veteran and former world champion. Some of you might recall that the exact reverse scenario happened back in 2014, when Vettel confirmed he would be joining Ferrari the following season, taking Alonso’s place.
Anyway, Alonso will be racing for Aston Martin beginning 2023 under a multi-year contract. This fresh start for the two-time F1 champion comes after his two-year stint with Alpine, which also marked his return to the grid after a brief hiatus.
“The whole company is very excited to bring Fernando’s incredible experience and brilliant pace and racecraft to the team,” Aston Martin’s official statement reads. “The recruitment of a special talent such as Fernando is a clear statement of intent from an organization that has committed to developing a winning Formula 1 team.”
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“I still have the hunger and ambition to fight to be at the front, and I want to be part of an organization that is committed to learn, develop, and succeed,” said Alonso. “We all appreciate that there is much to be done to get to the front and that we must apply all our energies in working together to find performance.
“The passion and desire to perform that I have witnessed convince me to maintain my enjoyment and commitment to the sport,” Alonso added. “I intend to win again in this sport and therefore I have to take the opportunities that feel right to me.”
“I have witnessed the excitement in the engineering team and throughout the whole organization at the opportunity to work with Fernando. We know that nearly everyone can learn from someone of Fernando’s calibre and experience,” said team principal Mike Krack. “We are confident that he will inspire everyone to lift their game, and that will only enhance the already infectious energy that exists within the team.”
“We are delighted to have Fernando and Lance as our driver line-up next year—the combination of experience and youth will be incredibly strong and both drivers look forward to competing and working together.”
Looking forward to seeing Alonso race for Aston Martin next season?
