It would come as no shock that Fernando Alonso has been forced into making several changes into how he copes and deals with the “very demanding” Formula 1 season, with the double World Champion certainly being no spring chicken anymore.
At 41 years old, Aston Martin’s newest signing is the oldest driver on the grid by just over three years, with Lewis Hamilton being the second oldest at 38 years old.
Incredibly, Alonso doesn’t look set to leave the sport anytime soon, with the Spaniard’s deal at Aston Martin including the option for a potential third season together, meaning he could be in F1 until he’s 44 years old.
Even if he does this, though, he still wouldn’t be remembered as the oldest driver in the history of the sport, with the Spanish driver currently 92nd on that list.
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The oldest driver to have ever competed at the pinnacle of motorsport is Louis Chiron, who’s last race came at 55 years, nine months, and 19 days old.
For Alonso to beat Chiron and claim the title of oldest-ever F1 driver, he’d need to remain in the sport until 2037, due to the Spaniard only being set to turn 55 on 29th July 2036.
The sport today is incredibly more demanding than it was when he started in 2001, at the age of just 19 years old, with Alonso admitting himself that he’s made changes to his “training routines” and his “travelling” arrangements.
To continue performing at a high level, Alonso has had no choice but to make adjustments to his regime, with the Spaniard having to focus more on the “physical aspect” of the sport nowadays, than he did back in 2001 at Minardi.
“I’ve had to change many things,” Alonso told select media, including GPFans.
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“The moment of my career now, the physical aspects, I have to change a few of my training routines, my travelling, events.
“Formula 1 is very demanding on energy off-track as well, so I have to really be more efficient on more of the things that I do on the weekends or in the weeks.
“On the physical aspect, for sure, I have to do much more than what I’m used to because I’m not 20 anymore.”