Surely, Fernando Alonso Isn’t Going Anywhere Mr. Briatore

Only Fernando Alonso can respond to, provided he’d like to do that, to what Flavio Briatore has in store with regard to the future of the double world champion. In a recent media interaction, which well, is the order of the day given the sport has halted for the much-needed mid season break, Flavio Briatore made an interesting observation about the great Fernando Alonso’s future.

The Septuagenarian from Italy has shared without much of a doubt that he feels the Oviedo-born F1 driver will leave the sport in some time.

To some, Briatore’s comment with respect to the former Renault driver, as one notes, are a sort of a hint on Alonso’s future in the pinnacle of Motor-Racing, while to many others, it is perhaps hearsay without much weight.

Having said that, the Verzuolo-born former team principal of the Renault side, with whom Alonso won two world titles, believes that the day isn’t far where the man who is the oldest driver on the grid (at present) will leave the sport.

On the other hand, what’s rather interesting amid the Flavio Briatore comment is that the Aston Martin driver doesn’t, by the looks of it, seem even remotely interested in leaving the sport. For why else would he commit himself to a long-term future with the Lawrence Stroll-owned team?

However, what beckons some introspection is the fact that by the time 2026 is rendered complete, the legendary driver who has paired with icons much like himself such as Kimi Raikkonen and Sir Lewis Hamilton, the latter still going strong in F1, would have turned 45.

In so doing, Alonso, lest it is forgotten, would have completed 23 seasons in Formula 1. This isn’t a tiny number or just about any number for that matter. The number of years Fernando Alonso would have completed at the pinnacle of motor-racing by the end of the next two years is actually the age of Oscar Piastri, winner of this year’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Having said that, why would the Spanish Samurai leave especially at the back of a racing stint that despite having not yielded any podiums in 2024, whatsoever, is replete with customary Alonso panache?

Earlier this year at the start of the season, Fernando Alonso had scored a fifth at the Jeddah-bound Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. While he would be found struggling later on the woes of his car in the straight line being abundantly clear, it wasn’t that big a surprise to see Alonso still managing a sixth in tougher tracks such as Suzuka and believe it or not, Canada, which can be so demanding on the tyres and fuel managmenet.

Surely, the feeling of having failed to collect a single podium up to this point in 2024, may seem like a tough nut to crack or a bitter pill to swallow. But Fernando Alonso isn’t into consuming mediocrity, nor is he the kind of driver who’d be pushed aside to contend with low-key results; once on the grid, Alonso comes out like a lion about to wrestle and toy with his compatriots and rivals.

He does that smoothly and yet, cuts this iconic figure that’s never bowed down in front of a challenge. And where 2024 is concerned, then it could be argued that Alonso won’t back down easily either. He’d want to return to his group only as a race-winner.

One wonders what would Flavio Briatore say when Alonso returns to where drivers of his great pedigree belong: the podium?