Charles Leclerc has congratulated Fernando Alonso on his renewal with Aston Martin. He did so, but also made a pointed comment about his age and the young drivers who are waiting for their chance.
Fernando Alonso will continue in F1 for at least two more seasons. He will remain at least until the end of 2026, by which time he will be 45 years old.
This was confirmed last week when the Spaniard decided to renew his contract with Aston Martin, accepting the offer from the Silverstone-based team and turning a deaf ear to other options from Mercedes and Red Bull.
The reactions have been swift. One of them, for example, came from Charles Leclerc. The Monégasque, a Ferrari driver who will be teammates with Lewis Hamilton in 2025 when the Englishman will be 40 years old, sent a special congratulations to the Spaniard for securing his F1 seat for at least a couple more seasons.
He praised him, but with a caveat. One that, of course, relates to Alonso’s age.
“Alonso is one of the most talented drivers on the grid and deserves his place in F1, but there are many other young drivers who also deserve a spot,” he was quoted as saying by ‘Formula Passion’.
He continued: “It’s not easy to find that balance… In my case, I won’t be around until I’m 43. I want to try other categories. I especially want to race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” insists Leclerc.
As he awaits Hamilton’s arrival, Leclerc is dealing with a Sainz who has been incredibly solid this season: “I want to win. No one likes coming in second.”
