Silly season has begun in Formula One, with the shock signing of Fernando Alonso to join Aston Martin. The multi-year deal will see the 41 year old race alongside Lance Stroll for the 2023 season, taking the seat of a retiring Sebastian Vettel.
The move frees up a seat at his current team Alpine, with reserve driver Oscar Piastri the most likely contender to drive full-time for the French outfit next year, joining Esteban Ocon. Should this eventuate, it will mean there are two Australian’s on the grid in 2023, with Daniel Ricciardo still contracted to McLaren.
The two-time world champion Alonso believes the move is one which will see him emerge as a contender in the years to come, recognising the teams five year plan to be a championship contending outfit as a way to potentially return to the front of the F1 field.
“I have watched as the team has systematically attracted great people with winning pedigrees, and I have become aware of the huge commitment to new facilities and resources at Silverstone,” Alonso said in a release from Aston Martin.
“No one in Formula One today is demonstrating a greater vision and absolute commitment to winning, and that makes it a really exciting opportunity for me.
“I still have the hunger and ambition to fight to be at the front, and I want to be part of an organisation that is committed to learn, develop and succeed,” he added.
Team owner Lawrence Stroll recognised the decision to sign the Spaniard was an easy one, with his desire of success a shared vision of the team.
“I have set out to bring together the best people and develop the right resources and organisation to succeed in this highly competitive sport, and those plans are now taking shape at Silverstone,” Stroll said in the teams statement.
“It seemed natural therefore to invite Fernando to be part of the development of a winning team, and we very quickly established in our recent conversations that we have the same ambitions and values, and it was logical and easy to confirm our desire to work together.”
Alonso won the F1 world championship in 2005 and 2006, and has 32 career wins to his name. His last win, however, was over nine years ago when he claimed victory in his home Spanish Grand Prix in 2013. The last of his 98 podiums was last year, with a surprise third place in Qatar.
In addition to his Formula One successes, Alonso has also won the 24 Hours of Lemans twice, in 2018 and 2019 for Toyota Gazoo Racing. Alonso also claimed honours in the 24 Hours of Daytona for Konica Minolta Cadillac.
It only took one day after the Hungarian Grand Prix for silly season to begin, following on from the retirement announcement from Sebastian Vettel only five days ago.
Whilst Aston Martin joins Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari as the teams to have confirmed 2023 driver lineups, the remaining six have at least one seat still un-signed for.
With such great talent emerging in F2, it can only be assumed this signing is the first of several to come over the next few weeks.
For now, Alonso has nine more races for Alpine to improve on his 2022 standings. He currently sits 10th in the drivers standings, 17 points behind teammate Ocon. Alpine sit in fourth place in the Constructors Championship, while Aston Martin sit ninth.