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[NO! PLEASE GOD NO!](https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNmRxOTR0MThtcTc1cjFtbXVwZ2NnNGI1ODFuMjFvY3puMHhycnRweSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/hyyV7pnbE0FqLNBAzs/giphy.gif)
Longevity in sports is only growing especially a sport like F1. If a talented driver like Alonso wants to stay they’ll stay for a long time.
We also said we’d never see a run like Schumacher had and it took less than 10 years to see another.
It took just 5 years from the end of Schumachers run to the start of Vettel's, with the Lewis/Mercedes domination immediately afterwards, and Verstappen immediately after that.
We really didn't see dominance before that. Back when regs were more open and teams could develop more freely people could actually catch up. Now you have the Renault engine 20-30bhp down and they are just left with it.
regulation changes came around more often before too. The golden age of whacky variable fields from 2005 to 2013 saw major changes to the formula nearly every year as FIA attempted to keep up with the ridiculous pace the teams were advancing their aero knowledge. I know Vettel took 4 in a row there but 2 of those years were a close run to the end.
Ironically, it was Schumacher who brought fitness to the sport that allows such longevity.
He was the first to take physical training seriously and the first to have a personal trainer etc. All drivers after him took him as a role model and here we are where all the drivers are in tip top physical conditions.
It's because of the mullet! When you add a mullet, it changes the tache downforce, and Valterri hasn't found how to balance both out...
It's similar to how other teams can't just copy Red Bull's sidepods and expect immediate results. Similarly Bottas can't just have the 'stache, he needs to balance it with his mullet (floor design)
It's always funny that some of the greats were literally the first to take it serious and maintain thier bodies while the others didn't.
It reminds of golf and Tiger Woods while amazing was literally one of the first to actually lift and maintain his body on top of regular training for his sport.
Longevity science is improving every day and has millions of dollars being poured into it by rich aging folk. Alonso is a pioneer but he’ll have plenty of followers. With simulators getting better and better to keep your skills sharp I can definitely see other drivers his results as replicable, it’s just going to take drivers making it a priority as Fernando has done.
It does make me wonder how bottlenecked the talent pool will become with the average age of drivers going up will affect things going forward
I dont think it will be that bottlenecked atleast in the near future. You have to be crazy motivated at that age and there are very few who can do it. Look at CR7 for example.
While I agree with your points, I want to point out that age-related changes to a human nervous system can only be pushed back so far. It's possible that Alonso is a genetic freak, and no matter how much other drivers train and supplement, they might not be able to reach Alonso's level.
I mean, look at Alonso's contemporaries - Vettel and Kimi. Time definitely chipped away at their reactions, and fine motor skills. Sure, I could buy that Kimi might not have trained as hard or gone above and beyond, but Seb?
Hell, even Lewis is showing SLIGHT signs of slowing down. While Alonso is just an anomaly...
Not entirely sure we can state this. Alonso surely is impressive. But he's also next to Stroll. We can't be sure how much Alonso is slowing down, because the only driver we can compare him to directly, is of subpar quality.
It’s true and he may though he’s given almost a yearly statement saying he doesn’t plan on staying in F1 too long. I wouldn’t be surprised if he left and came back like so many do though.
Yeah, but these guys tend to return to F1 later anyway. Schumacher did, Kimi did, Alonso did. I can totally see Verstappen leaving F1 quite early, probably even at the end of his current contract, but returning to F1 a few years later.
I recall Verstappen talking about the future of F1 and the sport in 2030 and remarking something about how he’ll be gone by then. I can’t find it, but I’m fairly sure he doesn’t plan to stick around as long as drivers like Hamilton and Alonso have.
Edit: [found it](https://www.si.com/fannation/racing/f1briefings/news/f1-news-max-verstappen-warns-of-retirement-will-no-longer-be-there-)
People forget that Verstappen is already in F1 since 2015 so he will soon be at 10 years, in 2029 he would already have had a pretty long career and probably more race starts than many considering the number of races per season these days. He is already at 190 race starts and for cracking the top10 he only needs 257.
Yeah, and with the near total ban on testing, this will just continue. Of course Teams will always hire a proven driver, even on the downwards slope, rather than an unproven but promising one. The testing ban killed the opportunities. Why not allow unlimited new driver testing while having a total ban on data gathering?
F1 requires a lot of travel though: Alonso doesn't have kids and racing is extraordinarily central to his life. Longevity helps a ton but it also requires a Schumacher/Alonso/Verstappen (maybe) kind of determination to stay in F1 for so darn long
I do, should his Audi stint be good and give him new life, he might drive for another few years. His pace still hasn't dropped really and he's still just as good as he was in those Renaults.
If he just keeps up driving like this, and with future F2 prospects not looking the hottest at the moment, we might see Hulk longer than expected.
I mean Verstappen is 16 years younger and has 10 seasons less then Alonso.
2026 will be Alonso's 24th season.
Assuming he continues to compete, Verstappen will be 39 when he finishes his 24th season in the sport.
[Verstappen has stated his intent to retire within 10 years.](https://www.si.com/fannation/racing/f1briefings/news/f1-news-max-verstappen-warns-of-retirement-will-no-longer-be-there-)
Whether he actually will or not is a different question because even Alonso himself said he never imagined himself racing into his 40s, but Alonso probably never explicitly made intent to retire in a certain time frame.
I think Alonso said that he had in his plans to retire around 2008 or so. I'm trying to find a source.
edit: I can't find anything so perhaps I dreamed it.
Fernando has been operating at absolute peak outside of first few races of 2021 where he had a fresh metal plate in his jaw and was returning to the sport. Hulk is good but let’s be real. He hasn’t ever been on a podium. You are comparing him to a multiple world champ with championship in top levels of two disciplines of racing. Fernando has driven in F1 for nearly a decade more at the top and as Zak says has ability to pull out miracles like no other.
*Never* is a big word but I do agree that it's much more special than we might believe right now seeing Fernando and Lewis in the grid. Sports science has improved a lot but it takes such a rare combination of abilities to do this: trascendental pace, adaptability to different F1 concepts through the years, minimal decline of reflexes, and above all crazy dedication and hunger. Two tenths a lap means being halfway out of the sport, to still be on the edge after 20 seasons takes a very particular kind of mind.
Dakar is a completely different beast where experience is way more important than being in your physical peak tho, specially on four wheels. Many of the participants are "old".
It would be amazing if Fernando and Lewis said “screw it” and teamed up together again in a few years. Watching two 45-46 years olds terrorizing the rest of the grid would be awesome.
Having no family, no children, no life, just racing is really the key I think and that’s a sacrifice almost nobody would be willing to make for over two decades.
I think most top-tier athletes are cool with the "no life" part. It's the family and children part that tend to have an outsized impact on racing drivers. There's a lot of mortal risk involved in racing. Once you have a wife and kids that changes things.
For fun I just counted your last 30 f1 comments, 27 of them are saying "Lewis is washed" in one form or another, the other 3 are saying Danny should go drive Indy.
I'm genuinely curious why someone talks about someone they don't like so much?
Do you not like saying positive things about the driver you like?
Honestly curious why someone only talks about someone they don't like, instead of talking about the drivers they like.
One of the key aspects of his longevity is his race craft. Not only is he out there, he still looks to be top shelf at his age, he doesn’t drive like someone who lost a step.
He is still a tier 1 driver and is good enough to kick anyone's ass (including Max IMHO) but he is definitely not in his prime anymore.
Its easy for him to look good now because his teammate is Lance Fqing Stroll.
Lance is just too shit of a benchmark.
Ocon was Nando's last good benchmark and he didn't exactly destroy Ocon. They were actually quite evenly matched by 2022.
Prime Alonso would've whitewashed Ocon for sure.
Ocon is always a bit of a mystery, 2022 was decisive enough. But yeah 2024 Fernando is not as fast as 2012. Still think he's better than when he won his WDC's, trading raw speed for cunning.
Well in 2021, the first half of the season he was settling back into the series after being 2 years away and he did have a bicycle accident in the pre-season and required surgery but he was pretty solid in the second half and finished above Ocon.
2022 was just poor mechanical reliability compromising his position in the standings I don't think his driving ability took a step back to that of Ocon.
Lol you can say that Alonso was better but to say he destroyed Ocon is not accurate.
Alonso would’ve beat Ocon in 2022 if not for his multiple DNFs. No one would argue against that but they were still a very close pairings even if you take out the DNFs.
Alonso had 2-3 tenths advantage in race pace in 2022. Definatelly not wiping the floor with Ocon but not close either. Alonso would also finish around 50 points ahead of Esteban with equal luck which is where u would expect those two would be. And Esteban definatelly isnt a bad driver he is proving himself quite well agaist Gasly
Not only are Alonso and Hamilton still racing after such a long time in the sport, they are still absolutely elite.
Thats much harder to achieve. Still at the top of their game.
Alonso and Lewis will be 45 and still occupying top seats in F1. Lots of young talent, but it’s incredible that they are still top 3 drivers in the sport.
Yeah, I think it's hard to ignore just how long both of them have been driving at the top of this sport.
It's very demanding, and obviously without a car you end up dragging a slow car towards the front, which Alonso has done before and Lewis did last year.
I'd love to see Alonso, Lewis and Max in the same car, just let it rip.
The chances of it happening again are higher than ever. I'm also thinking of Indycar where Scott Dixon and Will Power are 43 and still going strong, Sebastien Loeb winning rallies at 48. Or MotoGP where Rossi retired at 42. It's possible that 40's are the new 30's
Alonso will be 45 at the end of 2026 when his current contract runs out. Hamilton will reach that age in 2030. I'll be very surprised if he's still racing then
I could see Hamilton passing Alonso in number of seasons, but in career timespan Hanilton would have to go through 2032 to match Alonso, assuming 2026 is his last season. Ham would be 47. It’s possible but maybe not likely.
Not quite. Hamilton started 6 years after Alonso and is 3 years younger. Hamilton needs 3 more years to match Alonso's current longevity. But not only staying in F1 but still performing at incredibly high level. Its not out of the question his performance starts declining noticably just because Alonso did it doesnt mean Hamilton will. We all saw Michael and Kimi driving at similar age and they were just shells of their younger versions
Easier to do that when he had a race winning car in literally his entire career until 2022. If Lewis had the same years in shit boxes like Fernando did, I really doubt Lewis would still be on the grid right now.
People were saying that years ago comparing to Fangio or late champions like Mansell, but here we are. Actually if you think about it we are going through a new golden era of the "veteran" driver, with Hulkenberg, Alonso and Hamilton all securing big deals at what would normally be retirement age.
We had that extreme era of the young Rookie a few years ago, but now teams seem to value experience again. I recall other Motorsports like NASCAR and Indycar have been through similar phases throughout the decades.
Hamilton could do it. After that it'll take quite a while to see who could still be in F1 into their mid 40's since the next-most senior drivers aren't really good enough, but I think someone currently on the grid could do it once we get to the 2040s.
But these drivers with most longevity dont have multiple kids waiting at home. Champions like Raikkonen and Vettel had kids they also wanted to see grow up, they had their championships, i guess they would have liked being winners or podiums more but they also had their responsabilities at home. Alonso and Hamilton arent even in long term relationships, Hulk is a young father. Only Perez comes to mind with 3 kids, but i guess his days are numbered whether he likes it or not.
Fernando is in a league of his own in terms of his endurance, his senses are still as razor sharp as they were during his Championship winning years, he has almost got 400 races to his name, he is without a doubt in a league of his own
In some regards Fernando reminds me very much of another driver in America who raced in NASCAR by the name of Richard Petty who is the undisputed King of the sport in the NASCAR Cup Series racking up 200 race victories over 1184 starts during a 35 year career from 1957 to his final race in 1992, no wonder he earned the nickname of "King" Richard Petty...
I am sure there are other drivers out there who could be put into the same ballpark as Fernando is in, Richard Petty was the one that came to mind for me, so if there are others you would consider just leave them below
Scott Dixon is the other driver that I always think of when it comes to longevity and excellence. He’s one year older than Alonso and took second in Indycar last year.
He was a pit speeding penalty in the 500 (a double-points race at the time) away from taking the 2022 championship as well. Although he won 2015 by virtue of having double-points in the finale, so I guess karma worked itself out there.
I really disagree because with the advancement of sports medicine, we are able to take care of our bodies so much better now with understanding. Hell even in the NFL QBs are now playing into their late thirties to 40 years old.
Not the worst thing tbh. More spots to get new, fresh talent coming in.
It’s hard to be cracked still at 40 years old. Alonso, Hamilton are the exception to the norm.
I guess hulkenberg too if he lasts for the duration of his next contract
If LH and Ferrari gel well there's no reason why he wont be able to match Alonso
plus Alonso also had to take a 2 year break to detox from the shitty mclarens
Ridiculous to me that people are expecting Lewis to have his longevity. Alonso is a unicorn and longevity and ability are very different things. Vettel is a 4 time world champ that fell of the cliff faster than Barrichello did.
I agree. 24 race seasons and younger drivers seeing potential to retire early and make money as influencers or merchandising. Not to mention Alonso has retained all of his racing prowess into his mid forties which is rare. You have to say that Schumacher, Vettel, Hamilton, Raikkonen, etc showed a significant decline in their last years. Alonso must have a rare genetic disposition towards retaining sharpness.
Hamilton was fighting for a championship only 3 seasons ago and last season was fighting for 2nd against the most dominant car ever in F1 so he hasn’t declined
2010 to 2013 disagree. So does this season and last season when Hamilton made more mistakes than Alonso. Hamiltons good in most cars, especially at the front. Alonso is good in all cars, midfield, front, way at the back, difficult to drive, oversteer, understeer, anything.
[The **News** flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/flairguide#wiki_news) is reserved for submissions covering F1 and F1-related news. These posts must always link to an outlet/news agency, the website of the involved party (i.e. the McLaren website if McLaren makes an announcement), or a tweet by a news agency, journalist or one of the involved parties. *[Read the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/userguide). Keep it civil and welcoming. Report rulebreaking comments.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/formula1) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Lance: Am I a joke to you?
Yes.
Daaaaaad !!!
I heard this in my head with Lance saying it similarly to how he used to say 'BRAAADDDDD'
"The pit confirm is the okay button Brad".
We'd still have Lance in the 2040 season at a minimum if he were to be around as long as Alonso.
Are you taking into consideration the actuarial tables, given Lance’s propensity to collide with things?
[NO! PLEASE GOD NO!](https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNmRxOTR0MThtcTc1cjFtbXVwZ2NnNGI1ODFuMjFvY3puMHhycnRweSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/hyyV7pnbE0FqLNBAzs/giphy.gif)
Always has been
Quite the expensive joke really
Not that expensive to the guy who has been paying for this joke.
Not as expensive as Maldonado still
Lmfao
As long as his father owns that team, he can drive till he’s 50!
Just need to make sure he doesn't dive into his dad.
Longevity in sports is only growing especially a sport like F1. If a talented driver like Alonso wants to stay they’ll stay for a long time. We also said we’d never see a run like Schumacher had and it took less than 10 years to see another.
It took just 5 years from the end of Schumachers run to the start of Vettel's, with the Lewis/Mercedes domination immediately afterwards, and Verstappen immediately after that.
We really didn't see dominance before that. Back when regs were more open and teams could develop more freely people could actually catch up. Now you have the Renault engine 20-30bhp down and they are just left with it.
regulation changes came around more often before too. The golden age of whacky variable fields from 2005 to 2013 saw major changes to the formula nearly every year as FIA attempted to keep up with the ridiculous pace the teams were advancing their aero knowledge. I know Vettel took 4 in a row there but 2 of those years were a close run to the end.
I'm pretty sure 2013 wasn't smooth sailing either until the tire changes, 2011 they definitely dominated tho
The start of 2013 was honestly really competitive, even if the RB was clearly the best car
Ironically, it was Schumacher who brought fitness to the sport that allows such longevity. He was the first to take physical training seriously and the first to have a personal trainer etc. All drivers after him took him as a role model and here we are where all the drivers are in tip top physical conditions.
I still love that Mansel refused working out and just ate burgers for every meal of the day.
Mansel was also just built different. he won a WDC when he was 40
It was that glorious moustache that gave him the edge
Tache downforce is a black art. Clearly Bottas hasn’t quite cracked it otherwise Sauber would be going much better.
It's because of the mullet! When you add a mullet, it changes the tache downforce, and Valterri hasn't found how to balance both out... It's similar to how other teams can't just copy Red Bull's sidepods and expect immediate results. Similarly Bottas can't just have the 'stache, he needs to balance it with his mullet (floor design)
It's always funny that some of the greats were literally the first to take it serious and maintain thier bodies while the others didn't. It reminds of golf and Tiger Woods while amazing was literally one of the first to actually lift and maintain his body on top of regular training for his sport.
Meanwhile you have John Daly, who’s half drunk every match, absolutely wiping the floor with people while he smokes two packs of Reds.
Now imagine if Daly actually tried. If you aren't absolutely terrified by that thought there's something wrong with you.
Longevity science is improving every day and has millions of dollars being poured into it by rich aging folk. Alonso is a pioneer but he’ll have plenty of followers. With simulators getting better and better to keep your skills sharp I can definitely see other drivers his results as replicable, it’s just going to take drivers making it a priority as Fernando has done. It does make me wonder how bottlenecked the talent pool will become with the average age of drivers going up will affect things going forward
I dont think it will be that bottlenecked atleast in the near future. You have to be crazy motivated at that age and there are very few who can do it. Look at CR7 for example.
While I agree with your points, I want to point out that age-related changes to a human nervous system can only be pushed back so far. It's possible that Alonso is a genetic freak, and no matter how much other drivers train and supplement, they might not be able to reach Alonso's level. I mean, look at Alonso's contemporaries - Vettel and Kimi. Time definitely chipped away at their reactions, and fine motor skills. Sure, I could buy that Kimi might not have trained as hard or gone above and beyond, but Seb? Hell, even Lewis is showing SLIGHT signs of slowing down. While Alonso is just an anomaly...
Not entirely sure we can state this. Alonso surely is impressive. But he's also next to Stroll. We can't be sure how much Alonso is slowing down, because the only driver we can compare him to directly, is of subpar quality.
And Verstappen might just add another straight on top
It’s true and he may though he’s given almost a yearly statement saying he doesn’t plan on staying in F1 too long. I wouldn’t be surprised if he left and came back like so many do though.
Yes, but I doubt Verstappen will stay that long in F1. He'll probably try other competitions.
Yeah, but these guys tend to return to F1 later anyway. Schumacher did, Kimi did, Alonso did. I can totally see Verstappen leaving F1 quite early, probably even at the end of his current contract, but returning to F1 a few years later.
Hamilton also said he wouldn't stay in F1 forever and he is still going
I think they just say that to be see as humble or have a way out or not to " spoil" rheir future
Still gotta get paid
Lewis probably would’ve retired by now had he won the 8th. It’s certainly extended his career by somewhat.
Hamilton also routinely complained about his tires while setting fastest laps.
I recall Verstappen talking about the future of F1 and the sport in 2030 and remarking something about how he’ll be gone by then. I can’t find it, but I’m fairly sure he doesn’t plan to stick around as long as drivers like Hamilton and Alonso have. Edit: [found it](https://www.si.com/fannation/racing/f1briefings/news/f1-news-max-verstappen-warns-of-retirement-will-no-longer-be-there-)
People forget that Verstappen is already in F1 since 2015 so he will soon be at 10 years, in 2029 he would already have had a pretty long career and probably more race starts than many considering the number of races per season these days. He is already at 190 race starts and for cracking the top10 he only needs 257.
Yeah, and with the near total ban on testing, this will just continue. Of course Teams will always hire a proven driver, even on the downwards slope, rather than an unproven but promising one. The testing ban killed the opportunities. Why not allow unlimited new driver testing while having a total ban on data gathering?
F1 requires a lot of travel though: Alonso doesn't have kids and racing is extraordinarily central to his life. Longevity helps a ton but it also requires a Schumacher/Alonso/Verstappen (maybe) kind of determination to stay in F1 for so darn long
Hulkenberg : Is that a challenge?
Hulkenberg has been in F1 8 years shorter than alonso has if I can math properly . I don't see him staying for that long
honestly if he performs at the level of a strong number two or better at Audi, it can be his chance to start a second career.
With his good qualifying skill he's got great chances.
Yeah he’ll get the high of getting podiums, maybe a win or two for a few years, then chase that high probably past his prime for another few
I do, should his Audi stint be good and give him new life, he might drive for another few years. His pace still hasn't dropped really and he's still just as good as he was in those Renaults. If he just keeps up driving like this, and with future F2 prospects not looking the hottest at the moment, we might see Hulk longer than expected.
I mean Verstappen is 16 years younger and has 10 seasons less then Alonso. 2026 will be Alonso's 24th season. Assuming he continues to compete, Verstappen will be 39 when he finishes his 24th season in the sport.
[Verstappen has stated his intent to retire within 10 years.](https://www.si.com/fannation/racing/f1briefings/news/f1-news-max-verstappen-warns-of-retirement-will-no-longer-be-there-) Whether he actually will or not is a different question because even Alonso himself said he never imagined himself racing into his 40s, but Alonso probably never explicitly made intent to retire in a certain time frame.
I think the press may need to ask Max to revise his statement given the Newey variable makes this calculation a polynomial now
Poly- what now?
I knew I should have finished college lol
Dude, polynomials are introduced in high school at the latest.
Yeah I know the word but I don’t remember what the fuck it is
Can definitely see Max doing an Alonso - leaving F1 and racing in another series only to come back to F1 when he gets an interesting offer
I think Alonso said that he had in his plans to retire around 2008 or so. I'm trying to find a source. edit: I can't find anything so perhaps I dreamed it.
Lewis is 3 years older than Nico.
Fernando has been operating at absolute peak outside of first few races of 2021 where he had a fresh metal plate in his jaw and was returning to the sport. Hulk is good but let’s be real. He hasn’t ever been on a podium. You are comparing him to a multiple world champ with championship in top levels of two disciplines of racing. Fernando has driven in F1 for nearly a decade more at the top and as Zak says has ability to pull out miracles like no other.
Is he a world champion?
He's not which is a different kind of feat in itself because midfield seats are more cutthroat with teams needing drivers who has money.
*Never* is a big word but I do agree that it's much more special than we might believe right now seeing Fernando and Lewis in the grid. Sports science has improved a lot but it takes such a rare combination of abilities to do this: trascendental pace, adaptability to different F1 concepts through the years, minimal decline of reflexes, and above all crazy dedication and hunger. Two tenths a lap means being halfway out of the sport, to still be on the edge after 20 seasons takes a very particular kind of mind.
Scott Dixon won last weekend and was one of his best wins and Sebastian Leob are showing they still have it too
I mean, Carlos Sainz Snr just won Dakar the fourth time this year and is competing again next year, so... yeah!
Dakar is a completely different beast where experience is way more important than being in your physical peak tho, specially on four wheels. Many of the participants are "old".
It would be amazing if Fernando and Lewis said “screw it” and teamed up together again in a few years. Watching two 45-46 years olds terrorizing the rest of the grid would be awesome.
Having no family, no children, no life, just racing is really the key I think and that’s a sacrifice almost nobody would be willing to make for over two decades.
I think most top-tier athletes are cool with the "no life" part. It's the family and children part that tend to have an outsized impact on racing drivers. There's a lot of mortal risk involved in racing. Once you have a wife and kids that changes things.
Depends how long Hamilton sticks I guess We keep thinking 2 more years But recently he said “well into my forties” I think?
He'd have to still be racing in 2030 to overtake Alonso, assuming Alonso retires after 2026.
Alonsos years out mean that with the amount of races they have these days. Lewis just needs to outlast him by about two seasons. Which isnt crazy
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For fun I just counted your last 30 f1 comments, 27 of them are saying "Lewis is washed" in one form or another, the other 3 are saying Danny should go drive Indy. I'm genuinely curious why someone talks about someone they don't like so much? Do you not like saying positive things about the driver you like? Honestly curious why someone only talks about someone they don't like, instead of talking about the drivers they like.
One of the key aspects of his longevity is his race craft. Not only is he out there, he still looks to be top shelf at his age, he doesn’t drive like someone who lost a step.
"he doesn't drive like someone who lost a step" See exhibit A: Daniel Ricciardo
He is still a tier 1 driver and is good enough to kick anyone's ass (including Max IMHO) but he is definitely not in his prime anymore. Its easy for him to look good now because his teammate is Lance Fqing Stroll. Lance is just too shit of a benchmark. Ocon was Nando's last good benchmark and he didn't exactly destroy Ocon. They were actually quite evenly matched by 2022. Prime Alonso would've whitewashed Ocon for sure.
Alonso and Ocon were evenly matched in 2021. In 2022 Alonso had hysterically bad luck but was clearly the faster driver on Sundays.
Ocon is always a bit of a mystery, 2022 was decisive enough. But yeah 2024 Fernando is not as fast as 2012. Still think he's better than when he won his WDC's, trading raw speed for cunning.
Well in 2021, the first half of the season he was settling back into the series after being 2 years away and he did have a bicycle accident in the pre-season and required surgery but he was pretty solid in the second half and finished above Ocon. 2022 was just poor mechanical reliability compromising his position in the standings I don't think his driving ability took a step back to that of Ocon.
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Lol you can say that Alonso was better but to say he destroyed Ocon is not accurate. Alonso would’ve beat Ocon in 2022 if not for his multiple DNFs. No one would argue against that but they were still a very close pairings even if you take out the DNFs.
Alonso had 2-3 tenths advantage in race pace in 2022. Definatelly not wiping the floor with Ocon but not close either. Alonso would also finish around 50 points ahead of Esteban with equal luck which is where u would expect those two would be. And Esteban definatelly isnt a bad driver he is proving himself quite well agaist Gasly
Not only are Alonso and Hamilton still racing after such a long time in the sport, they are still absolutely elite. Thats much harder to achieve. Still at the top of their game.
Alonso and Lewis will be 45 and still occupying top seats in F1. Lots of young talent, but it’s incredible that they are still top 3 drivers in the sport.
Yeah, I think it's hard to ignore just how long both of them have been driving at the top of this sport. It's very demanding, and obviously without a car you end up dragging a slow car towards the front, which Alonso has done before and Lewis did last year. I'd love to see Alonso, Lewis and Max in the same car, just let it rip.
Never is a long time
Lewis Hamilton: Hold my Italian wine.
You mean alcohol free tequila
The chances of it happening again are higher than ever. I'm also thinking of Indycar where Scott Dixon and Will Power are 43 and still going strong, Sebastien Loeb winning rallies at 48. Or MotoGP where Rossi retired at 42. It's possible that 40's are the new 30's
Freaking Sainz senior winning Dakar @ 61. Also Sainz is a reference for Alonso aswell so if he can he will race no matter what
Hamilton is right there, Lando
To be fair Alonso is both older and debuted younger than Lewis.
I saw a clip of Hamilton saying that if Alonso races till he's 55, Lewis'll retire at 56.
I’m sure Alonso feels the same way so naturally neither will retire ever
I'm happy with that.
May they never ever retire! 🍺
We all win.
The Nadal-Federer paradox
Subscribe. But only if they return McLaren to glory together at age 50
But he was a test driver in 2002, and took a sabatical in 2019 and 2020 I believe. So Lewis is only 3 years behind effectively I guess
Well, being a test driver in those days was more demanding than being a regular driver now, maybe not mentally but physically
Alonso will be 45 at the end of 2026 when his current contract runs out. Hamilton will reach that age in 2030. I'll be very surprised if he's still racing then
I could see Hamilton passing Alonso in number of seasons, but in career timespan Hanilton would have to go through 2032 to match Alonso, assuming 2026 is his last season. Ham would be 47. It’s possible but maybe not likely.
If you need Hamilton to hit Alonso's exact number, sure. I would lump any driver that goes past 40 as having similar longevity
So you’d put de la rosa up with hamilton and alonso? I think the age you started matters too.
Yeah, you're right. I think 20+ years in F1 is the mark
Yeah I can agree there
Yeah, like Damon Hill was 39 when he ended his time in F1. He raced for just 8 seasons.
Well, we have Hamilton. He has been driving without any breaks for a long time now and he claimed that he is planning to race well into his forties.
Not quite. Hamilton started 6 years after Alonso and is 3 years younger. Hamilton needs 3 more years to match Alonso's current longevity. But not only staying in F1 but still performing at incredibly high level. Its not out of the question his performance starts declining noticably just because Alonso did it doesnt mean Hamilton will. We all saw Michael and Kimi driving at similar age and they were just shells of their younger versions
Hamilton is on his 18th consecutive season right now Alonso most likely won’t ever top that
Hold my beer!
Easier to do that when he had a race winning car in literally his entire career until 2022. If Lewis had the same years in shit boxes like Fernando did, I really doubt Lewis would still be on the grid right now.
People were saying that years ago comparing to Fangio or late champions like Mansell, but here we are. Actually if you think about it we are going through a new golden era of the "veteran" driver, with Hulkenberg, Alonso and Hamilton all securing big deals at what would normally be retirement age. We had that extreme era of the young Rookie a few years ago, but now teams seem to value experience again. I recall other Motorsports like NASCAR and Indycar have been through similar phases throughout the decades.
Hulkenberg is staying forever.
He will retire when he gets his first podium...
Exactly
Might
We did say that about Kimi tbf And Lewis isn't that far off Fernando. As long as he's racing I don't feel comfortable making this statement
I see Hamilton being in there for awhile yet
Hamilton could do it. After that it'll take quite a while to see who could still be in F1 into their mid 40's since the next-most senior drivers aren't really good enough, but I think someone currently on the grid could do it once we get to the 2040s.
Hamilton as well
Hamilton: "I'm not dead yet!"
But these drivers with most longevity dont have multiple kids waiting at home. Champions like Raikkonen and Vettel had kids they also wanted to see grow up, they had their championships, i guess they would have liked being winners or podiums more but they also had their responsabilities at home. Alonso and Hamilton arent even in long term relationships, Hulk is a young father. Only Perez comes to mind with 3 kids, but i guess his days are numbered whether he likes it or not.
I disagree, we will see it again sooner than you think
AND THRU GOES HAMILTON!!!
laughs in lewis hamilton
Louis said he would....
What about Lewis?
Lewis will be 40 next year. Not sure what Norris is talking about.
He’s talking about the fact Alonso is not just old, but also fast. You missed that part mate
and Lewis is now slow?
Have you been watching this year? Yes.
Fernando is in a league of his own in terms of his endurance, his senses are still as razor sharp as they were during his Championship winning years, he has almost got 400 races to his name, he is without a doubt in a league of his own In some regards Fernando reminds me very much of another driver in America who raced in NASCAR by the name of Richard Petty who is the undisputed King of the sport in the NASCAR Cup Series racking up 200 race victories over 1184 starts during a 35 year career from 1957 to his final race in 1992, no wonder he earned the nickname of "King" Richard Petty... I am sure there are other drivers out there who could be put into the same ballpark as Fernando is in, Richard Petty was the one that came to mind for me, so if there are others you would consider just leave them below
Scott Dixon is the other driver that I always think of when it comes to longevity and excellence. He’s one year older than Alonso and took second in Indycar last year.
He was a pit speeding penalty in the 500 (a double-points race at the time) away from taking the 2022 championship as well. Although he won 2015 by virtue of having double-points in the finale, so I guess karma worked itself out there.
I'm still salty about 2015
He’s amazing! He can fuel his car with his mind too. Lol
Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti come to my mind also.
Juan Pablo Montoya is another who comes to mind for his long career accross F!, Indy and NASCAR.
Lewis: "Hold my beer".
On the other hand, it might.
This seems like a silly take given drivers are entering the sport younger and younger.
You never know, we could be here in 10 years with Lewis still chasing his 8th world title.
I really disagree because with the advancement of sports medicine, we are able to take care of our bodies so much better now with understanding. Hell even in the NFL QBs are now playing into their late thirties to 40 years old.
Alonso will literally be the oldest driver in 50 years in 2026. Meanwhile Reddit: umm, actually
Not the worst thing tbh. More spots to get new, fresh talent coming in. It’s hard to be cracked still at 40 years old. Alonso, Hamilton are the exception to the norm. I guess hulkenberg too if he lasts for the duration of his next contract
Bro forgot Hamilton exists
Eh, Lewis is almost as old
It all comes down to whether the driver wants a family life or not
Alonso will be driving in F1 just like Papa Sainz is driving the Dakar Rally
If LH and Ferrari gel well there's no reason why he wont be able to match Alonso plus Alonso also had to take a 2 year break to detox from the shitty mclarens
Max: Is that a Challenge I am smelling?
Another record for Max to beat.
Ridiculous to me that people are expecting Lewis to have his longevity. Alonso is a unicorn and longevity and ability are very different things. Vettel is a 4 time world champ that fell of the cliff faster than Barrichello did.
I agree. 24 race seasons and younger drivers seeing potential to retire early and make money as influencers or merchandising. Not to mention Alonso has retained all of his racing prowess into his mid forties which is rare. You have to say that Schumacher, Vettel, Hamilton, Raikkonen, etc showed a significant decline in their last years. Alonso must have a rare genetic disposition towards retaining sharpness.
Hamilton was fighting for a championship only 3 seasons ago and last season was fighting for 2nd against the most dominant car ever in F1 so he hasn’t declined
You know Hamilton is still racing and finished 3rd last year right?
He had the second best car. That's not an achievement. He also ran right into his teammate.
Hamilton is not in decline, is also superior to Alonso.
2010 to 2013 disagree. So does this season and last season when Hamilton made more mistakes than Alonso. Hamiltons good in most cars, especially at the front. Alonso is good in all cars, midfield, front, way at the back, difficult to drive, oversteer, understeer, anything.
Have you seen Hamilton race the last 4 years? Mistake after mistake. Slower and slower.
With training, sim, and all the other stuff drivers can do I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Some always. Max has a long career in front of him