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Former world champion Damon Hill predicts that Fernando Alonso will retire at the age of 44. The Spaniard is currently the oldest driver on the grid, at the ripe 'old' age of 41. Hill also added that Alonso is 'firing on all cylinders', claiming he still has a few years left before he retires from the sport.
Alonso is all set to replace four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin in 2023, securing a few more years in the sport. The two-time world champion still has the skills to keep up with drivers half his age, showcasing his fantastic race craft weekend after weekend. The driver recently put on a show for fans at the 2022 F1 Canadian GP, managing to put his Alpine in P2 at the end of qualifying.
1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill feels Alonso can go until the age of 43, giving him three more years in the sport. The Briton answered a fan question, comparing Alonso to the great Juan Manuel Fangio, in a special edition of the F1 Nation podcast, saying:
“Fernando is firing on all cylinders and looking very strong and incredible. And of course, remember that Fangio didn’t start in F1 till he was about 38 and went on till he was about in his mid-forties. He had incredible nerves of steel and incredible skill as we know. Which is the same as Fernando Alonso. So, I think it is down to whether you love it or not and if you have got enough energy and you keep yourself in good shape. Why not?”
He added:
“I think he will retire when he is 44.”
Fernando Alonso's form will subside at some point, says F1 expert
F1 expert Marc Surer believes that time is running out for Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard recently signed a multi-year contract with Aston Martin, instead of continuing his partnership with Alpine, who were only offering him a one-plus-one deal.
In a video on the Formula1.de YouTube channel, Surer revealed his expectations for Alonso's future within the sport, saying:
“The clock is ticking for Alonso. He can maybe continue in this form for another year or two. I’m sure that will wear off at some point. I think a driver loses a few hundredths of a second a year, but he compensates for this with his commitment and experience. Nevertheless, sooner or later it will have an effect. Especially in qualifying, when pure time really counts.”
While age is surely going to catch up to all drivers, Alonso seems to have found the magic formula for remaining competitive against drivers who are half his age. The driver subsequently wanted a multi-year contract renewal with his current team, Alpine F1, but the French outfit was unable to meet his demands leading to his switch. Only time will tell whether he can perform at the highest level in the years to come.
