'I have extreme self-confidence' - Alonso buoyant after 'best season'

Ella-Esrene Frederick Fernando Alonso: Aston Martin driver confident of maintaining speed after 'best' F1 season yet in 2023 Fernando Alonso finished the 2023 F1 season fourth in the drivers' standings, while leading his Aston Martin team to an improved fifth in the constructors' standings; Alonso, the oldest driver on the grid at the age of 42, has a year remaining on his contract with the team Last Updated: 01/12/23 6:17pm Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Relive how Aston Martin started the season spectacularly before slightly tailing off as the 2023 Formula One season progressed Relive how Aston Martin started the season spectacularly before slightly tailing off as the 2023 Formula One season progressed Fernando Alonso says he does not expect his performance to drop off any time soon after completing his "best season" in Formula 1 at the age of 42. In his first season with Aston Martin after joining from Alpine, Alonso finished fourth in the drivers' standings to claim his highest finish since 2013.Aston Martin got off to an electric start with podium finishes in six out of the first 10 races, unexpectedly competing with Ferrari and Mercedes, as well as being Red Bull's closest competitors in the early stages of the season. While his contract with the team currently only has one season to run, Alonso appears confident of continuing for several years yet."I've said many times, even before 2018, the day I stop racing is not because I feel not motivated for driving or I feel slow," the two-time world champion said at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Ride on board with Fernando Alonso as he takes on Sergio Perez in an epic battle to seal a podium place in Brazil Ride on board with Fernando Alonso as he takes on Sergio Perez in an epic battle to seal a podium place in Brazil "If I feel slow one day, I think it will be noticeable and I will not be happy with my performance and I will be the first to raise my hand and say it's time."But I don't think that time will arrive honestly in terms of feeling slow, I have extreme self-confidence in my performance."While falling short of an elusive 33rd career race win, Alonso clinched all eight of Aston Martin's podium finishes, including second-place finishes in Monaco, Canada and the Netherlands."I'm happy with the personal performance, I think together with 2012, it's the best season for me," Alonso said. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Sky F1's Ted Kravitz sits down with Fernando Alonso to reflect on his career, 20 years on from his first win in Hungary Sky F1's Ted Kravitz sits down with Fernando Alonso to reflect on his career, 20 years on from his first win in Hungary "Personally, I rate the best season in my driving. I was happy with everything, I was motivated, I was fit, I was performing as you said in difficult conditions sometimes, Bahrain, Monaco, Canada, Monza and Brazil will be my top four/five of the year."I put Monza on purpose because it was a ninth place, it was not a podium, it was nothing that people will remember. But probably we had the slowest car in Monza or the second slowest and to be in the points it was one of those weekends everything was very good."'Demanding schedule' could stop Alonso drivingCancelled races this year in China and Italy saw F1's record 24-race schedule reduced to 22, but with a full season set for 2024, Alonso feels the sport's calendar is the only thing that could wear him down."But it could be with the calendar and the demanding schedule and things like this one day, I will feel it this time because you know there are other things in life," Alonso said."It's been a very demanding season only with 22 races, with two cancellations. Next year with 24, the proper calendar, we will have to see how it feels. Even Las Vegas, I saw today it's a triple header, I don't know why, I thought Vegas was alone next year and then Qatar and Abu Dhabi together. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Fernando Alonso just pips Sergio Perez to a podium spot after an epic battle in the final stages of the race Fernando Alonso just pips Sergio Perez to a podium spot after an epic battle in the final stages of the race "I just found out now, like 10 minutes ago, that it was three races together, these kinds of things will drain my battery, not my driving."While Aston Martin surpassed expectations at the start, they struggled in the middle stage of the season, with more disappointing performances in the British and Hungarian Grands Prix, but Alonso accepts the process is part of a learning curve for the team."I see only positives as well; those struggles are part of the job and part of the journey of this team," he said. "I think we started really strong with a car that was su