“When I finished, it was on a low, and I didn’t want that because my performance, my competitiveness, was as high as ever back then, but people didn’t see it,” said Alonso, in an interview with this writer. “Now, I’m proving I’m still fast, at whatever age - that’s part of the comeback story. Winning the 33rd grand prix or fighting for a championship would add even more drama to the story."
Now, remarkably, Alonso and Honda could be paired together again. Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe has said he will have "no problem whatsoever" if the two-time F1 champion is still in the car by then.
After all, Alonso turns 42 in two months' time, and come the start of the 2026 season when Honda will power Aston Martin, he will be 44. All the signs at the moment are that Alonso seemingly has years left in him given the level at which he is performing, rejuvenated by a car that has propelled him back onto the podium, initially with four third-place finishes in the first five grands prix, and then runner-up in Monaco on Sunday, his best result for almost nine years.
Alonso knows he cannot go on indefinitely but, for now, all thoughts of bowing out for a second time are far from his mind.