Fernando Alonso believes it is only a matter of time before Aston Martin dominates Formula 1 and he has not given up hope of winning a third world championship.
The 41-year-old Spaniard is embarking on the final chapter of his remarkable journey in the sport after moving from Alpine to Aston Martin for the third season back from the British team.
Aston Martin have so far flattered themselves to deceive on their return to F1, finishing seventh out of 10 teams on the grid in both seasons.
However, under the leadership of aspiring fashion billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin is building a new state-of-the-art factory and wind tunnel, and has doubled its workforce from 400 to 800 in an aggressive bid to dominate the sport.
“I am very demanding in everything I do and I expect a lot from the people I work with,” Alonso said at the team’s launch at Silverstone on Monday.
“I give 100 per cent and I expect the same in return, and since my first day at Aston Martin I feel exactly the same values from the people around me.
“We have Lawrence’s leadership. He has been very successful in his life and I have seen that there is no doubt that Formula 1 will be no different. He will succeed sooner or later.
“This team is not happy with fourth place. This team is not happy with third place. This team is not happy with second place. And this is what I feel from everyone here. There’s no celebration until we win and that’s something that’s very motivating.
“We’ve got the investment, we’ve got the facilities and we’ve got the talent too, so it’s only a matter of time.”
Alonso, who has completed more races than any driver in F1 history, won his last consecutive championship with Renault in 2006. It has been ten years since he won a Grand Prix.
But in his two-season stint with midfield team Alpine, following a sabbatical in 2018 and 2019, Alonso showed flashes of his old brilliance in an everyday device.
And when asked if he still has hopes of increasing his tally of 32 wins and winning a third title, Alonso said: “I really believe there is a possibility.
“I don’t think it will happen this year and I’m honest about that. I’m down to earth and I can’t tell anyone that we’re going to fight for wins this year because then I’d be lying.
“There are no miracles in Formula 1 from season to season. It’s only been a few months since the last race in Abu Dhabi and there is a big gap for the top teams to recover.
“But if we have a good base car this year, we will have more opportunities to fight for wins and podiums next season. I trust this project.
“I know it will be my last team to drive for, but we have this wonderful opportunity to work towards Aston Martin competing for championships in the future.
“If I’m still driving then it’s good, but if I’m not driving then I’ll be super proud to be part of this organization when Aston Martin dominate races and championships one day.”