Alonso extends his contract with Aston Martin and Verstappen targets his first win of the season

Fernando Alonso said that the extension of his contract with Aston Martin came after a conversation that lasted only five minutes with team owner Lawrence Stroll, in an agreement that will ensure that the two-time world champion continues his career in Formula 1 beyond the age of forty-six.

The Spaniard, who turned 45 in July, signed a new contract that keeps him alongside Canadian Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin lineup for the 2027 season.

Alonso is the oldest current driver on the grid, having competed in 440 races since his debut in the championship in 2001, and won two world titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006.

Alonso told reporters today (Thursday): “It was a very simple conversation with Lawrence, and there was not much that needed to be discussed. "We both wanted to continue working, so it didn't take more than five minutes."

Despite the ease of reaching an agreement, Alonso admitted that making the decision itself required deeper thinking, noting that he had no guarantees that the 2027 season would be more enjoyable or competitive.

Aston Martin is going through a difficult season as the car suffers from poor performance, as the team only gained three points in 15 rounds, all of them through Alonso, placing it in tenth place among 11 teams.

However, the veteran driver confirms that his passion for competition remains the main driver of his continuation.

“I still feel fast, and I still enjoy what I do,” he said. “If I sat at home watching the races on TV, I would think I could do better.”

He added: “This is exactly what I felt during my time away from (Formula 1). “I was watching the races and always thinking: This is not where I should be.”

Alonso believes that his departure from Formula 1 between 2019 and 2021 was a turning point that helped him prolong his career in the world of racing.

“I needed to get away,” he said. “I wanted to try different categories of motorsport and take on new challenges out of curiosity and a desire to learn.”

He added: “It was wonderful to discover different aspects of this sport and learn from the specialists in each championship, which made me a more complete driver.”

He stressed that his ability to adapt to different generations of cars and laws was one of his most prominent strengths, saying: “I drove cars with different engines and lived through Bridgestone, Michelin, and Pirelli tires, and I lived the eras of kinetic energy recovery systems and hybrid systems, in addition to my participation in endurance races and Indy Car. “I always try to benefit from all that experience.”

The family aspect was not lost on his considerations, especially after welcoming his first child with his partner, Melissa Jimenez, earlier this year.

He said with a smile: “She is also suffering this season, and is worried about my health when we are not in the competition circle.” “I think she prefers me to be away from the ring when things don’t go our way.”

Max Verstappen expressed his hope of achieving “at least one win this season” after the four-time world champion found himself in an unfamiliar position in the Formula 1 World Championship standings after 15 rounds, in a season that is considered one of the most difficult in his career in recent years.

After years of dominating the championship, the Red Bull driver has only climbed to the podium seven times this season, while he is still searching for his first victory, even though he came close to that by finishing second in the last two races held in Madrid and Baku.

The Dutchman is among a limited number of drivers who have previously raced at the Sepang Circuit, which returns to the Formula 1 schedule for the first time in nine years, after the Bahrain Grand Prix was moved there due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Although Red Bull outperformed Ferrari and McLaren in terms of scoring points in the last three rounds, Verstappen acknowledged that the difference is still large with Mercedes, which is imposing its dominance in the drivers' and constructors' championships this season.

He said: “Unfortunately, we are still far from (Mercedes). “They are the fastest, or they were for most of the season.”

He added: “I am doing everything I can, and it is good that we are constantly on the podium, but my goal is to win. That's why I participate in races. “I feel we are getting close to that, and I hope we can achieve at least one win before the end of the season.”

Verstappen was the last driver to win at the Sepang Circuit, when he scored the second victory in his career there, but he admitted that returning to the circuit after nearly a decade seemed a bit strange.

He told reporters today (Thursday): “When I entered the teams’ hospitality area in the arena, I did not even know where I was going. "It's been a long time already."

He added: “I have always enjoyed racing here. “I like the design of the track very much, but it is one of the exhausting tracks due to the high tire consumption and high temperature, which makes the race a real physical challenge.”

Verstappen saw that the updates that Red Bull introduced to the car in Baku seemed promising, but he stressed that the real judgment on them requires more time, especially since the characteristics of that circuit have always been suitable for the team.

He said: “We have to wait for the upcoming races to know the true level of the car. “It is useful for us to test it on different tracks to better understand its strengths and weaknesses.”

He added: “We are learning a lot at this stage in preparation for the next season. The upcoming races will give us a clearer picture of what we need and what direction we want to develop the car towards. Since we are not in the competition for the title this year, this period represents a very important opportunity to learn and develop.”

Regarding the uncertainty that still surrounds the holding of the last two rounds of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, Verstappen stressed his confidence in the ability of Formula 1 and the International Automobile Federation to make the appropriate decision.

He said: “I always love racing there, but the most important thing is to make decisions according to the appropriate circumstances.”

He added: “I trust that (Formula 1) and the International Automobile Federation have more information than us, so I am confident that they will make the right decision.”