David Coulthard says Fernando Alonso has ‘never stopped’ being a child deep down

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David Coulthard says Fernando Alonso has enjoyed an ‘extended childhood’ in his record-breaking racing career. Alonso is the only driver in F1 history to start over 400 races.

Alonso has had three stints in F1, starting a quarter of a century ago. He dropped into a test driver role after his rookie season but then replaced Jenson Button at Renault, where he later won two world championships.

The Spaniard retired at the end of the 2018 season, but there were always suspicions that he may look to return. He did so in 2021 with Alpine before switching to Aston Martin two years later.

David Coulthard says Fernando Alonso’s career has been one long ‘childhood’

During Alonso’s 2019-20 sabbatical, he won the World Endurance Championship with Toyota, competed in the Dakar Rally and also raced at the Indy500.

Accounting for his junior career, Alonso has been racing for 27 years without interruption. The Spaniard is now a father after his partner gave birth last month, but he hasn’t previously had to deal with external ‘distractions’.

“He’s never stopped racing,” said Coulthard on the Cars & Money podcast. “He’s never been bogged down by family and kids. He hasn’t had that distraction.

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“He’s had the purity of an extended childhood. Being a professional sportsperson is an extended childhood.”

While his Aston Martin contract is due to expire at the end of the season, Alonso says he isn’t thinking about retiring as it stands. An extension would keep him in F1 beyond his 46th birthday.

The Spaniard has only finished one race this season, with Aston currently the slowest team in F1, and there’s a feeling that he won’t retire on such a sour note.

F1TV’s Lawrence Barretto says Alonso still thinks he’s the best driver on the grid, even though he hasn’t won since 2013.

David Coulthard reveals how becoming a father changes a driver’s mindset

The question is whether Alonso’s carefree attitude will change now that he has a child. While Coulthard became a father after he’d retired, he says a subconscious level of caution is inevitable.

“It’s a consideration,” he said. “A few weeks after [my son was born], I remember that feeling of the heart getting bigger. Once that happens, your living desire is to make sure is that you always take care of your kids, no matter how old you are.

“Not consciously. I’m not thinking about my son when I drive a race car occasionally, but you subconsciously want the best for them.”

There are three other fathers on the F1 grid – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg and Cadillac’s Sergio Perez.