Fernando Alonso reveals only time he ever had “the best car” in racing

Fernando Alonso says it was “not difficult to keep motivated” in a tough 2024 Formula 1 season with Aston Martin because “I’m used to not having the best car”.

The 43-year-old comes into the final round of the season in Abu Dhabi ninth in the standings on 68 points and with no podiums to his credit in a difficult year for Aston Martin.

It’s a far cry from what he and the team managed in 2023, when Alonso finished fourth in the championship on 206 points with a haul of eight podiums.

Though Aston has taken a step back with its AMR24 challenger, Alonso says the condensed calendar meant it was easy to keep motivated by fresh goals.

He also noted that his car troubles didn’t wear on him because he believes the only time in his racing career he had the best machinery was with Toyota in the 2018/19 World Endurance Championship.

“It was not difficult to keep motivated because every two weeks you have a chance to do a little bit better than the previous weekend,” Alonso told the media, including Crash.net, on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.

“So, this calendar doesn't allow you to rest or to have time to think, you are continually racing.

“So, it was not difficult to get motivation. And, in a way, I'm used to, not having the best car.

“I think I have one time the best car in Toyota in WEC in 25 years of racing. So, I'm always motivated.”

The 2018/19 WEC campaign, dubbed the ‘super season’, saw Alonso and Toyota five of the eight rounds and the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice - albeit in an era in which the Japanese marque was the only major manufacturer competing in the series' top class.

Despite continuing to find motivation throughout a tough 2024 season, Alonso admits he’s “happy that it’s over” after this weekend because he feels like Aston has been “fighting for nothing” in the last half of the campaign.

“I think it's very long season for everybody, for the mechanics, for everyone in the team,” he added.

“24 races is ultra-demanding, especially the last triple-header that we did. And I think when the championship is also over, like Max won in Vegas, for us it's probably after summer, we were fifth in the constructors' championship, no threats from behind, nothing to do in front of us.

“So, the remaining seven or eight races are a little bit long, because you are fighting for nothing.

“So, we try to learn about the car for next year's project. But apart of that, there is not much to do.

“I'm happy to take the winter break now and start from zero next year, and hopefully more competitive.

“The motivation is different when you finish Abu Dhabi and you start next year's car and next year's simulator work and everything, than just coming here knowing that we will be between ninth and 12th here.”