Fernando Alonso Reveals 'Best Moment Of The Sport' As He Reflects On F1's Eras

Saajan Jogia | 17 Hours Ago

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso arrives in the paddock at the Formula 1 Pirelli United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso admitted that he misses the Formula 1 charm of the bygone era, when cars pitted for refueling, and when sponsors were more connected to "real world" marketing. Despite this, the Spanish veteran acknowledged that Formula 1 is currently experiencing one of its most exciting and prosperous periods.

The 42-year-old driver, who made his Formula 1 debut in 2001, has experienced some of the sport’s most iconic eras, from the thunderous V8s and V10s to the current V6 hybrid ground effect era. Looking ahead to 2026, Alonso will witness the dawn of a new era when F1 cars will be powered by an equal blend of internal combustion and electric power.

With 22 pole positions, 32 race wins, 106 podium finishes, and over 2,300 points to his name, the Spaniard marked the milestone of racing in 400 Grands Prix after the Mexico City Grand Prix. He described the achievement as a culmination of all the sacrifices made throughout his career. When asked if he missed the early eras of Formula 1, the two-time world champion said:

“Refueling. Fast cars on Sundays. 

“The sound of the engine. Bigger sponsors. Grid girls. Grid boys. It was different marketing. 

“Now it’s all about social media. Before, it was more into the real world.”

However, Alonso acknowledged that the "best moment of the sport is right now," considering the advancements made over the years and the sport's growing popularity, especially in the USA. He added:

“I think we’re in a good place now.

“F1 is very popular around the world, especially in the US. This is thanks to Liberty Media and all the actions that they are making.

“Teams are now very professional, a lot of discipline, budget caps. So I think we are probably the best moment of F1.

“It's true that in the past, especially the pit stops, gave you a lot of strategy possibilities, starting with higher fuel, lower loads, going for three stops or one-stop. We didn’t have to manage as much as we do now.

“And the races, because we race with 30 kilos [of fuel] on board… the qualifying versus race pace was one second slower or something like that.

“Now between the battery and the fuel load, sometimes in races, we are seven seconds slower or something at the beginning of the race and that’s a little bit less motivating. But the best moment of the sport is right now.”