Alonso prepared for ‘sacrifices’ to keep up with F1 young guns

Fernando Alonso believes he needs to make "more sacrifices" than some of the younger drivers on the F1 grid in order to maintain his place in the pecking order.

Forty-year-old Alonso will be the most senior driver in F1 next year with Lewis Hamilton second turning 37 before the start of the campaign after the retirement of Kimi Raikkonen.

Asked in a media briefing including GPFans about the challenges this presents compared to those faced by younger talent, Alonso said: “Obviously, I don't train the same now that I [am] 40 than when I was 23.

"You have to train more, you have to stretch more, you have to have a different food routine, you have to do many other things to be at the same shape and with the same strength.

“I'm ready to do so, that's why I came back as well. There are more sacrifices to do, but that's the plan for this winter.

"I will be as strong as I can and I know that I will have to train and I will have to do more than other drivers because yes, I'm older than them."

Despite failing to complete a "proper preparation" to his 2021 comeback after a cycling crash, Alonso improved steadily across the course of the year, scoring a podium in Qatar and beating team-mate Esteban Ocon in the drivers' standings.

Alonso will undergo further surgery to have plates removed from his jaw in January but does not expect this to impact his training.

“I was planning to have a different preparation next year, but not because the car will be different because I think the cars will be very similar in terms of driving and forces and lap times, et cetera, but just because this winter, I couldn't do a proper preparation after the bike accident," explained Alonso.

“I was just counting the days to go to Bahrain and it was just on time to go to Bahrain, but not with a proper physical programme, so this winter, I want to do it a little bit more."

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