20+ years and Fernando Alonso still races! It is mind-blowing to see this kind of longevity from the 2-time champion, who debuted back in 2001. The Spaniard is gearing up for his 20th season in F1 and still is amazingly fast. It feels as if he never left the sport in 2018 and resumed his form years back in the early 2010s. The hunger of becoming a world champion drives Fernando even today. This hunger and passion are so evident that even his former rival, Mark Webber, expressed his appreciation for the same.

As per GP Fans, Webber was speaking to Speedcafe and expressed his thoughts on how the 2022 F1 driver market played out. The former Red Bull driver cited how Fernando’s logic-defying move to Aston Martin was a lot more surprising than his former teammate Sebastian Vettel‘s retirement.

While many cited Vettel’s retirement as the most heartbreaking moment of 2022, Webber claimed it was expected. He said, “The domino effect with Seb [Vettel] stopping, that was not maybe a huge surprise but, obviously, the ginormous surprise was Fernando [Alonso] leaving [Alpine for Aston Martin]”

Meanwhile, Mark also mentioned how he loves watching Alonso keep performing in an evergreen manner in the new generation of F1. He added, “It’s always good to see the rookies. Fresh blood coming in is good for the sport.”

“But at the other end of the scale, to see Fernando still going, he just continues to defy the odds at that level for his age. That’s a bit of sport to watch as well.”

Webber certainly has got good words for his former rival. Although, the manner in which the Spaniard has performed since his return in 2021, few can disagree with the Australian.

41 Year Old Fernando Alonso Willing to Wait Years for El Plan to Reach Fruition

While it won’t be easy for Alonso to make an impact right away with Aston Martin; he would hope they can develop well in the future. 17 years since he last won the F1 championship, Fernando is not giving up to take that elusive 3rd world title.

Can Fernando Alonso defy the odds to secure his 3rd World Championship?

When Fernando Alonso signed up for Aston Martin, they were 9th in the constructors’ standings. Though, the 2nd half of 2022 brought a development renaissance for the Silverstone outfit. The team jumped up to almost finish 6th at the end of the season, only for Alfa Romeo to deny them.

Nevertheless, this amazing development run may be an encouraging sign for Fernando. If Aston Martin can take a similar trajectory in 2023 and beyond, it may fulfill Alonso’s ambitions. The Spaniard has already shown how he is in full form to capitalize on a good car.

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If Aston Martin can give Alonso a fighting car by 2024 or 2025, the sky can be the limit. In 2012, Fernando took the Ferrari F2012 which was quite underwhelming to within 3 points of the world title. So, Aston certainly would know how Alonso can squeeze out every inch of performance from their car.

Still, 2025 is the realistic timeline, by when we can expect Alonso and Aston to rise to the front. It is a long shot as things stand. But if we take the latter half of 2022 as a reference point, the Green team has potential. Aston Martin may well be the dark horse in the next 3 years.

WATCH THIS STORY: Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are the Last men standing as Sebastian Vettel retires from F1

Fernando only needs to ensure he keeps his form consistent over the next few years. If he gets even one season with a race-winning car, it’s game on for the El Plan! Do you think Fernando Alonso can defy the odds with Aston Martin to secure his elusive 3rd title crown?