How two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso deals with the fact that he is now competing against young men who could be his sons
Fernando Alonso is 43 years old, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is just of legal driving age. Such is the range of the 2025 Formula One field. And that means that when Alonso made his Grand Prix debut for Minardi in 2001, six other drivers had not yet been born, in addition to Antonelli.
These six drivers are Oliver Bearman from Haas, Gabriel Bortoleto from Sauber, Jack Doohan from Alpine, Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson from Red Bull and Oscar Piastri from McLaren.
So how does two-time Formula One world champion Alonso feel about the fact that around a third of all the drivers could be his sons in terms of age? Does it make him feel old or grateful to still be doing it?
“Probably both,” says Alonso. “I don’t know. I feel privileged to still be racing and doing what I love, which is racing cars.
“I’ve been lucky enough to experience many different eras of this sport – and I’m still here. I still feel competitive, motivated and full of energy to travel the world and drive these cars.”
For him, his age is not that important. “What matters most to me is that I feel competitive,” explains Alonso. ‘If one day I realize that I’m no longer fast enough, then I’ll be the first to realize that I’m no longer enjoying it.’
That day has not yet come, because Alonso is currently too passionate about racing. He says of himself: ‘I am an extremely competitive person.’
That’s why the question about his young colleagues doesn’t bother him: “The key thing for me is that I made my debut in 2001, raced in the first Chinese Grand Prix in 2004 and am still here in 2025 – and I feel just as fast as I did in 2004.”
“Maybe I’m even faster, because nowadays there are other tools and opportunities for us drivers to develop and improve on weaknesses in our careers. So, as I said, I feel privileged to be here.” And Alonso will remain in Formula 1 at least until 2026: that’s how long his current contract with Aston Martin will run – with the possibility of an extension.
