A year ago, after the F1 ཧHungarian Grand Prix, the Formula 1 world was rocked by shock confirmation that Alonso wo෴uld swap Alpine for Aston Martin.

Replacing the retiring Sebastian Vettel appeared, at the time, like an unusual move although it has since been ju🤡stified by Aston Martin’s quick start ✃to 2023.

“In Alpine, last year, I would have signed,” Alonso has 🐲now a🍒dmitted to . 

“I was more or less happy, but🐎 no offer ever came. 

“They were alw✤ays looking for O☂scar Piastri, for things like that, and since no offer came, in the end this one [Aston Martin] came. 

“And it was a stroke of luck to my career.”

Piastri was announced last ye🐲ar by Alpine as their driver for 20💞23 to replace Alonso until he awkwardly denied it - McLaren then won the right to use him after an ugly spat.

Alonso reflected on his prior high-profile moves through the F1 paddock: “With McLaren it wa𝕴s a continuity, Formula 1 was very much dominated by Mercedes repetitively for years. A little bit of Red Bull now, but ꧂Red Bull's dominance is shorter. 

“In Ferrari there were many changes, when I arrived there were Stefano Domenicali at tꦯhe helm a🧸nd Luca Cordero di Montezemolo as president. 

“A lot of changes 🔯were happening and it was no longer the Ferrari I knew, my team, it was becoming something without the direction that I saw clearly.”

Alonso, who has already taken a three-year hiatus from F1, is now the oldest driver on the grid ⛄at 42.

He is tied to Aston Martin for next year, ﷺtoo, but will prefer to only commit himself year-by-year.

Speaking about the new regulations that will come in for 2026, he said: “Next year I will start to bജe interested a little more. Right no🍸w I've thought about it, of course, I've talked about it with the team, of course. 

“But we have postponed it to the summer of 2024. If it were now the summer of next year, I would tell you that I﷽ am interested in seeing what happens in 2025, we aꦡre going to have a new wind tunnel at Aston Martin and there are things that you want, that are attractive, and I feel strong and energetic now.

“I don't weigh down travel or training, I'm looking forwar🥃d to it. 

“In the two weeks since Silverstone I 🥃wanted to get in the car and drive. But there are moments, and I've spent them in my career, when you're a little saturated with travel, racing. 

“If you ༺have 🌠a signed long-term commitment, it still weighs on you. I prefer to enjoy and, if I enjoy, to renew every year.”

A third F1 championship remains Alonso’s goal.

"Of course. If not𒁃, I wouldn't race,” he said. 

“There are many sacrifices behind a Formula 1 season, many trips, a lot of preparation, and everything isไ with a goal of being world champion. 

“Also, with experience, you know that in Formula 1 you need o♏ther things apart fr🅰om your personal ambition or your desire to achieve things. 

“B✅eing at the right time in the right place. I'm in a good place, in a good moment, but I'm not obsessed either. 

“Let's start, hopefully, with a win. And then, whether I win the third title or not will depe🅺nd on things that are out of my reach.”