The Spanish driver faces his second youth in Formula 1 and reflects on what allows him to remain extremely competitive at 41 years old. One of the keys to him is the need he feels to annihilate the strengths of his rivals.
It’s not a secret that Fernando Alonso is one of the most competitive and committed athletes of this century, which is why he remains motivated at 41 years old. Not only is he still in Formula 1 with rivals up to 20 years younger than him, but he also keeps his speed intact.
But what fuels Fernando Alonso’s passion and competitiveness at an age when almost all Formula 1 drivers already think about other categories or live a much more normal life? “I’m the kind of person who needs to do 100% of my own thing, and I need to break down any strongholds other people have. But I do this in everything I practice, when I play anything».
“When I lose the car, maybe my hands and feet do something that I didn’t know before because I only drove F1 cars.”
This need that Fernando Alonso has is not only developed in car racing, but in all areas of his life, making it an obsession and also a habit.
«I played tennis, and when I played with someone good, I threw the ball very high. This is how you stop their rhythm because they are used to hitting the ball very hard. When you throw it too high, they make mistakes because it hits them too soft. Doing that is my only chance to beat them”, reveals Fernando Alonso.
Assess the importance of everything
The seniority It is often seen as a handicap in sport, but the truth is that all those veteran competitors who remain motivated are relentless. This is the case of Fernando Alonso, who maintains an enviable physical form, combines it with extraordinary motivation and tops it off with invaluable experience.
“Experience helps in many ways. the starts, becoming aware of things, tire management, pit stops, the way you approach the mechanics. Also, the way you approach the weekend: free practice, how important or how little relevant it is sometimes »Alonso explains.
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“When you are young, you pay close attention to every lap you take; even Free Practice 1 is like the last lap of the championship. With experience you understand these things. Not every lap is the last lap. I used to make mistakes early in races that I now try to avoid. And this only comes with experience and your own mistakes».
More experience, more resources
Accumulating experiences helps Fernando Alonso to know how to identify what deserves more effort and what less. But not only that, it has also allowed him to increase his catalog of resources when it comes to driving.
“It’s not just about your own cabin and your own strategy, so maybe I have a better understanding of how the race unfolds. And also the different categories that I did: I think they teach me different things », she reflects.
“There are different racing philosophies, different driving techniques. Not that they apply to an F1 car, but when I lose the car, maybe my hands and feet do something I didn’t know before because I only drove F1 cars. So, in a way, now I feel more in control of things », she concludes.
Font: motorsport.com
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Photos: Alpine F1 Team