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Fernando Alonso's overnight signing with Aston Martin left many astounded. Mike Krack, Aston Martin's team principal, has laid down the reasons why the team opted to sign the Spaniard.
Speaking to the media about signing the two-time world champion, Krack said:
“[Fernando] just has that killer instinct, no matter what, you know that he will always give you everything: always push 100 per cent, always extract the maximum from the car and the team. His racecraft is exceptional – a formidable combination of confidence, instinct and intelligence.’’
He added:
“He will demand a lot from us, but that’s to be expected from a multiple World Champion. Fernando will be a driving force as we climb together and, like everyone in the team, I cannot wait to work with him.’’
Mike Krack further explained that signing Fernando Alonso was a clear statement of intent from Aston Martin and that the team was serious about getting to the front of the grid. He said:
“Signing Fernando is a clear statement of our intent at Aston Martin F1. We are not on the grid to make up the numbers. We are here to win. We are on a journey to the front of the grid and Fernando’s decision to join us on that journey – to have a driver of his calibre believe in the Aston Martin F1 project – is a great compliment to our team and the work we are doing. The prospect of having Fernando and Lance in the car next year is a hugely exciting one.’’
Even Fernando Alonso, while talking about his decision to move to Aston Martin, touched on the influx of talent within the team in the last couple of years and the energy the team exudes as one of the reasons why he wanted to join the team.
Fernando Alonso: I still have the hunger to fight at the front
Often questioned about his motivation and hunger at 41 years of age, Fernando Alonso was quick to point out that he lacked none of it at this stage of his career. He said:
“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. We all appreciate that there is much to be done to get to the front, and that we must apply all our energies in working together to find performance.’’
He further said:
“The passion and desire to perform that I have witnessed convince me to maintain my enjoyment and commitment to the sport. I intend to win again in this sport and therefore I have to take the opportunities that feel right to me.’’
Whether the partnership works or not is a different story altogether, but it will be interesting to see how Fernando Alonso's second half of the season pans out.
