Aston Martin admit “market exploded” due to Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari
Aston Martin boss wants to keep Fernando Alonso despite Mercedes' 2025 vacancy
Lewis Hamilton signing for Ferrari means the “market exploded” already, the Aston Martin boss admits.
Mike Krack knows that his driver, Fernando Alonso, is likely to among the shortlisted names to replace Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025.
Alonso, aged 42, will see his current Aston Martin contract expire this year making him available if Mercedes decide to swoop.
Team principal Krack told Sky: “With Lewis’ signature, the whole market exploded!
“We knew there would be a silly season this year.
“We have not even turned a wheel and the driver market is in full swing.
“We love Fernando. We have a great relationship based on openness and trust.
“It would be fantastic if we could continue into 2025 and 2026.
“We have had great moments in 2023. Maybe even greater in 2024.”
Two-time Formula 1 champion Alonso was asked about the possibility of him going to Mercedes next year.
“Let’s see,” he teased.
“I am focused on the start of the season. I am concentrating on performance, not the future.
“If I race in the next few years, I will try to take a decision at the start of the year. I don’t want to [stall] the process too much into the season. It always affects, a little bit, the performance.
“So let’s see if I make a decision soon, and if the team is happy as well.”
Could his decision be to sign a deal with a rival team?
“Well, at the moment, I haven’t spent too much time thinking about the future,” he insisted.
“There is a lot going on in winter for the first race, to start on the right foot.
“I am aware that there aren’t a lot of world champions available with Max with Red Bull, Lewis with Ferrari.
“There is only me left, without a contract.
“I need to feel, myself, whether I want to commit, to keep racing.
“If I feel that I can give 200% to a team, on and off track.
“If I do so, Aston Martin will be my first priority. The first team I will sit down with.
There is a sense of loyalty to them.”
Aston Martin outperformed Mercedes in the early rounds of last season.
Alonso started 2023 with an unexpected podium which lit the fuse for the season.
Aston Martin will launch a new alliance with Honda in 2026 when the new regulations come in.
But time is of the essence for Alonso, already the oldest driver on the grid, if he wants to claim a third F1 championship.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
