The real reason Alonso keeps racing: 'That scares me'

Fernando Alonso is not exactly looking forward to retirement. Speaking to Auto, Motor und Sport the Spaniard explains that he has no plan B and is afraid of just sitting at home.

At 41, Fernando Alonso will simply start another Formula 1 season with a new team in 2023. Indeed, he moved to Aston Martin because he did get a multi-year deal there. The two-time world champion is impossible to imagine away from the sport and he himself finds it hard to think of a career without racing.

No plan B for Alonso

''I don't have a plan B. I've been a racer all my life and I'm only good at it because I haven't learned anything else. My life has always been dedicated to motorsport. And what I do best in this sport is driving. If one day I have to retire from Formula 1, I will do other races. A victory at the Dakar would still be a challenge. Because nobody has done it in this combination before. But sitting around at home scares me,'' the Spaniard told AMuS.

A lot of ex-drivers choose to still stay close to F1 as analysts or commentators, but Alonso is not keen on that. ''I don't want to slam doors, but it's not high on my wish list at the moment. Our job also means a lot of traveling. You can bear that because you then do a job that you love and can do. If I had to travel to do something I don't really enjoy, my internal battery would drain quickly,'' Alonso concludes.

For now, Alonso does not have to worry about that future, as a multi-year deal in his pocket means he can be in action on behalf of Aston Martin until at least 2024. Alonso will be hoping, though, that the team becomes more competitive with him behind the wheel. After all, in 2022, the British team finished seventh among constructors.