Fernando Alonso might be enjoying an impressive comeback at the front of the Formula 1 grid but he’s remaining level-headed about what he is able to achieve in the remaining years of his career.
At 41-years-old, Alonso is the oldest driver on the grid and, while he’s not retiring anytime soon, the Spaniard knows that his years in a competitive Formula 1 car are numbered.
With his success this season putting him in the title fight against the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, Alonso has admitted that he would enjoy a chance to secure a third world title, nearly two decades after his last triumphant season.
“[Another world championship] is the aim for sure but I think at the moment we have to keep our feet on the ground,” Alonso said in an interview with Bang & Olfusen.
Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies
“The aim for the team is just to have a good season. They struggled a lot in 2022, so I think we have to – let’s say – walk before we run,” he added.
Even with this goal, Alonso isn’t getting ahead of himself, accepting that he won’t be breaking the record held by Lewis Hamilton and Mick Schumacher of seven world titles.
“I think if you keep racing long enough, you will start breaking records,” he said.
“What really matters is the record for most world championships.
“At the moment, that number of seven world titles from Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton is probably out of reach, but that should always be the ultimate goal,” he confessed.
READ: Damon Hill would pick Fernando Alonso to ‘defend me in a murder charge’
However, if he does win another title, Alonso will make history, becoming the oldest Formula 1 champion since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1957.
To secure that coveted third Drivers’ Championship, Alonso is going to have to rely on significant performance upgrades at Aston Martin or some bad luck from Verstappen and Perez, as Red Bull looks dominant this season.
Red Bull has won all three races this season, with Verstappen taking victory in Bahrain and Australia, while Perez claimed P1 in Saudi Arabia.