Miguel A. Herguedas

Updated Friday, March 22, 2024-18:12

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The loyalty owed to Aston Martin, the team that propelled him to the podium eight times in 2023, makes him maintain his manners in front of the microphones, but

Fernando Alonso

does not give up in his efforts to seek new horizons. On Thursday, the Asturian pointed out the Silverstone team as his first option for the future, although his real priority continues to be a team with which to get closer to victories from 2025. This is what Fernando has been saying privately in recent weeks.

With 21 seasons of F1 experience, Alonso aims to avoid any missteps before the summer. "I don't want to rush," he said during his appearance before the media in Melbourne. "They will not dictate my destiny," he added, with an assertiveness unusual in the

paddock

. Of course,

Lawrence Stroll

, owner of Aston Martin, is still determined to extend his star's contract, but Alonso is not going to turn a deaf ear to the two most desirable destinations. The problem for Fernando is that Red Bull and Mercedes, each with his own arguments, are not going to lose their reason for a driver who will turn 43 on July 29. In fact, both teams, absolute dominators during the last decade of the Hybrid Era, have powerful reasons to reject his signing.

The most obvious case is that of the Silver Arrows, with whom Alonso maintains a fluid relationship, spurred on by

Toto Wolff,

his

main team

. However, the German giant is still very hurt by that fine of 100 million dollars regarding Spygate and by the sentence where it was declared guilty of spying on Ferrari. Mercedes (and not McLaren) had to pay a 100 million fine to the FIA ​​because of the unfortunate emails from Alonso and

Pedro de la Rosa

with confidential information. From the headquarters in Stuttgart, with the powerful CEO

Ola Kallenius

at the helm, they still have not been able to forget that disastrous episode.

"

GP2 engine!

"

The landing at Red Bull, for its part, is also dark for Alonso for different reasons. Firstly because, despite the resounding crisis of recent weeks, the current champions still have

Max Verstappen

on their payroll . That mere continuity already makes the signing unfeasible, given that no one would want to expose

Mad Max

to a fierce battle against the Oviedo player.

But if his seat were free, Alonso would still find an obstacle ahead called Honda, the mere memory of which already makes him grimace. The fateful three-year period of 2015-2017, when the Japanese never knew how to develop a competitive engine for McLaren, ended with just 123 points in 60 races and 825 penalty positions. Not only the fans remember the Spaniard's lament in Suzuka 2015. Nor have the managers of the Japanese brand forgotten that "

GP2 engine!

".

Honda will complete its final year with Red Bull in 2025 before embarking on a new solo alliance with Aston Martin. Therefore, Alonso's hypothetical landing in the energy

box

should also have the approval of

Koji Watanabe

. Although we can never speak of a veto in the strict sense, the opinion of the supreme boss of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) would make the operation even more difficult.

400 races in Las Vegas

The sum of these factors reveals evidence: the circle of action, every day, shrinks a little more for Alonso. Two months ago, his beloved Ferrari opted for

Lewis Hamilton as

Charles Leclerc

's partner

. And the rest of the possibilities, including Audi's landing in 2026, seem less exciting than Aston Martin. Right now, retirement represents the last option for Fernando. But the fact that it is the last does not, of course, make it disposable.

Of course, Alonso still feels strong enough to continue improving, fight for victories and reach, to the praise of crowds, the 2026 Madrid GP. A goodbye in the capital would represent the perfect epilogue. For now, if nothing goes wrong, the two-time champion will become next November, during the Las Vegas GP, the first driver in history with 400 F1 grand prix under his belt. Now it remains to be resolved whether he will continue adding to those legendary figures from 2025 onwards.