Fernando Alonso has ‘never seen before’ in F1 what’s happened at Aston Martin

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Fernando Alonso made his Formula 1 debut back in 2001 and he will stay on the grid through at least 2026 with Aston Martin, where the Spaniard has seen a career first.

His career in the pinnacle of motorsport is the longest that any driver has ever spent in F1 to date. Alonso has continually moved the record further away from Michael Schumacher since jumping the German’s total of 21 years and three months at the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Through his 23 years and counting in Formula 1, Alonso also seen a lot during spells driving for Minardi, Renault (twice), McLaren (twice), Ferrari, Alpine and Aston Martin. He has even won two drivers’ titles, won 32 Grand Prix, scored 22 pole positions and made 106 podiums.

Fernando Alonso had ‘never’ seen an owner like Lawrence Stroll in F1 before joining Aston Martin

Alonso earned the eight most recent podiums in his tally last year after joining Aston Martin in 2023. But the 43-year-old is still eying his first Grand Prix victory since the 2013 Spanish GP with the Ferrari, plus his first pole position since the 2012 German GP with the Scuderia.

But while Alonso won two titles with Renault, won races with Ferrari and drove for McLaren as a title-contending team and as a recovering outfit, the Oviedo native had never seen the same commitment from a team’s ownership as he has with Lawrence Stroll at Aston Martin.

READ MORE: Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso’s life outside F1 from net worth to Cars 2

Alonso further holds his podiums with the Silverstone squad in high regard given Stroll only brought the Aston Martin name back to F1 after 61 years when the Canadian billionaire re-named Racing Point. The team’s best result over 2021 and 2022 was also one second place.

“I think Aston Martin are the most determined team I have been in in my career,” he stated, via quotes by AS. “The commitment of this team, the vision of our leader Lawrence Stroll, is something I have never seen before.

“And probably the results that Aston Martin have achieved in three years since it has existed are also unprecedented with eight podiums last year, and now the signing of Adrian Newey.”

Adrian Newey will join Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin in 2025

Sebastian Vettel handed Aston Martin a podium finish with P2 in the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the Silverstone squad’s sixth race carrying the iconic name. But they would never get back on any rostrum before Alonso replaced Vettel in 2023 with highs of sixth place in 2022.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage

This season has not been as fruitful for Aston Martin or Alonso, with them without a podium through 18 rounds. His best finish in a Grand Prix so far this year was P5 in the Saudi Arabian GP back. Teammate Lance Stroll, Lawrence’s son, got his best with P6 in the Australian GP.

Still, the investment that Stroll has put into Aston Martin proved enough to see Alonso sign a new contract this April that tied him down through at least the 2026 season. Aston Martin’s plans, and shares in them, even convinced Newey to join ahead of quitting Red Bull in 2025.