Time is just not on Fernando Alonso’s aspect however the 41-year-old double System One world champion, getting ready for a brand new journey with Aston Martin, has not given up on including to his tally of 32 grand prix wins.
The Spaniard recognised, nonetheless, that it was unlikely to occur in 2023.
Alonso has joined from Renault-owned Alpine on a multi-year contract — believed to be two years plus an choice — and together with his starvation undiminished.
“I do consider that there’s a risk,” the race winner for Renault, McLaren and Ferrari informed reporters on the launch of the AMR23 automobile on the workforce’s Silverstone headquarters.
“I do not suppose this 12 months. I’m sincere on that, I’ve the ft on the bottom.
“I can not say to anybody that we are going to be preventing for victories this 12 months. I’ll lie if I say that. However on the identical time we need to have a great automobile to begin with and to work and develop that automobile all through the season.
“Perhaps within the second a part of the 12 months we are able to get nearer if there is a chance, there are changeable situations. If the chance comes, we is not going to miss that chance.
“However in the beginning I anticipate some troublesome races till we discover the place the automobile operates.”
No System One driver has ever received a race after making their three hundredth begin. Alonso has accomplished a file 355 and is the oldest present driver on the grid.
Alonso mentioned he struggled to get the automobile to his liking for the primary 5 – 6 races at Alpine after his 2021 comeback from two years out and he would have solely a day and half of testing in Bahrain earlier than the season begins on March 5.
“I am conscious that I cannot be 100% in Bahrain, not in Jeddah, perhaps not in Australia,” he mentioned.
Technical director Dan Fallows mentioned 95% of the brand new automobile was totally different to final 12 months’s and it was prone to be two thirds modified once more by the tip of the marketing campaign.
Aston Martin’s Canadian billionaire workforce proprietor Lawrence Stroll, whose son Lance is Alonso’s workforce mate, mentioned the workforce, who completed seventh total final 12 months, had doubled the headcount to greater than 800 folks.
A brand new manufacturing facility, attributable to develop into operational in Might, could be a recreation changer, he added.
“Once I get enthusiastic about one thing I get very passionate,” added the proprietor. “And after I get very passionate, I win.
“We’re wanting ahead to be preventing for world championships sooner or later.
“We plan this 12 months to make a step and subsequent 12 months make one other step and the 12 months after till we’re successful and finally preventing for world championships.