Fernando Alonso does not need anyone to tell him that he is still fast, as a decision over his future in Formula 1 looms.<\/p>\n
Told by Honda\u2019s Shintaro Orihara that he is \u201ctoo quick\u201d to retire, Alonso<\/a> said that enjoyment is the key criteria behind his future in the category. He is likely to make a decision around the time of the Dutch\/Italian GP, after the summer break.<\/p>\n Fernando Alonso still \u2018fast\u2019 ahead of F1 future decision<\/p>\n Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Three options are seemingly on the table for Alonso, as his current Aston Martin deal ticks towards its conclusion.<\/p>\n He could re-sign with Aston Martin, walk away from Formula 1, or explore a return to Alpine. Multiple sources have told PlanetF1.com that reuniting with Alpine\u2019s Flavio Briatore one more time is a key consideration as Alonso plots out his next move.<\/p>\n Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Aston Martin chief trackside officer Mike Krack expressed \u201cgreat hopes\u201d that Alonso stays with the team. Honda trackside general manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara added: \u201cFernando should not retire, he\u2019s too quick.\u201d<\/p>\n Alonso, speaking with PlanetF1.com and others at the Red Bull Ring, stressed that he does not need the team \u201cto tell me that I\u2019m fast.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI feel it every lap that I do on track, and I\u2019ve been feeling [this],\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Retaining full self-belief in his own talent, Alonso must soon decide how we wishes to deploy it.<\/p>\n \u201cI have not taken any decision,\u201d he said. \u201cI will wait until probably the summer break, which is August, and after summer it\u2019s Zandvoort, Monza, I think around that time I will probably decide what to do next year.<\/p>\n \u201cI will keep racing because I\u2019m feeling fast, and I feel motivated, and I love what I do, and I will not stop now. I don\u2019t feel uncompetitive. I don\u2019t feel that I don\u2019t enjoy racing.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I race in Formula 1 or not, that\u2019s a different story. I need to enjoy the category. I need to enjoy the feeling of driving these power units and these regulations and these kind of things. There are many factors to put in place, and there are many options to race in the world of motorsport.\u201d<\/p>\n More on Fernando Alonso from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n \u2018Borderline abuse\u2019 of Aston Martin claimed by Alonso in Alpine rumours response<\/a><\/p>\n Aston Martin sends clear message amid Alonso to Alpine rumours<\/a><\/p>\n What Alonso did guarantee was that his \u201ccommitment\u201d to the Aston Martin project will be unchanged regardless of the decision which he makes.<\/p>\n That is an important comment at a time when the Alpine return rumours have emerged.<\/p>\n Alonso has a clear goal with Aston Martin which somehow, someway, he is determined to achieve.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I still love Formula 1. I\u2019m committed to this team,\u201d Alonso continued. \u201cSo even if I don\u2019t race, my commitment with the team and with the project is the same, and still the same as what it has been for four years now.<\/p>\n \u201cWe started this in a way together with some success in 2023 and with a lot of changes in the company and in the campus in Silverstone, now with the partnership with Honda, with Aramco with the new fuels. There are a lot of things that we built together in a way.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I said many times, this team, there is a certain guarantee that it will succeed, and it will fight for world championships. We don\u2019t know if that will be next year, in three years\u2019 time or in eight years\u2019 time. That\u2019s probably my limitation behind the wheel.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I want to win a world championship with Aston Martin, with or without driving. That\u2019s still the same commitment in my case.\u201d<\/p>\n Additional reporting by Thomas Maher<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n