Alonso makes 'regret' claim over F1 sacrifices

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso has admitted that he has made a lot of sacrifices in his Formula 1 career, but insisted that he has no regrets in the pursuit of racing success.

Alonso finished fourth in the drivers’ championship in the 2023 season, after securing eight podiums for Aston Martin.

However, the Spaniard, no stranger to victories, acknowledged that success is often accompanied by sacrifice, as he delved into reflections on his career.

"I'm a very competitive person,” Alonso told the Aston Martin website. “I like to set goals and targets. Ultimately, I want to win, we all do, but even when that seems unlikely, I set personal challenges: maybe finishing in the top five is possible, maybe a podium. That provides plenty of motivation.

“Of course. You make sacrifices, and sometimes you're aware of those when you're making them and sometimes you don't realise until five years later. That might be things you'd like to do, or family and friends you don't see as often as you would like.

“I'm a very family-oriented person. I love to spend time with my family. At this time of my life, I thought I'd already have a family and kids, all these kinds of things, and I found myself at 42 without any kids yet.”

Even without a family of his own, Alonso admitted that he still finds immense joy from competing in F1.

“At the same time, I'm doing what I love to do,” added Alonso. “I'm doing what I'm the best at doing – and I've never tried anything other than motorsport. So, when I look in the mirror in the morning, I'm happy with who I am and what I'm doing.

“I have sacrificed a lot for F1, but I have no regrets.”

READ MORE: Sky F1 pundit urges driver to keep 'options open' in hunt for championship

Alonso hoping for 2024 competition

Alonso also shared his ambitions for the 2024 F1 season, acknowledging the challenge of surpassing the exceptional nature of 2023, a season he deemed 'special' in his career.

“I don't think it's going to change much because there are too many unknowns every season – anything can happen in Formula 1,” added Alonso.

“We will hopefully be competitive again, fighting for regular points and podiums, hopefully for our first win – that would be the dream – but we cannot underestimate the challenge.

“We exceeded expectations this year because expectations were low. That's why this season feels amazing. If we set expectations too high – unrealistically high – there's a danger of the opposite happening.”

READ MORE: Mercedes chief addresses controversial F1 design ahead of 2024 car launch

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