After languishing in the midfield for two years with Alpine, Fernando Alonso is back in podium finishing positions. Before that, the Spaniard called it quits on his F1 career only to come back two years later. However, that 2-year hiatus was very important. While Haas boss Guenther Steiner praised him recently for his mental strength, the Asturian driver reveals how that break helped him regain that mentality.

Being a 41-year-old, Alonso is the oldest driver amongst the current drivers. That age, however, carries immense experience with it. Maybe that is the reason why Steiner called him “older than god”. Meanwhile, Aston Martin is reaping the rewards of his invaluable experience and challenging the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari.

Fernando Alonso reveals how the 2-year break from F1 changed his approach

Daniel Ricciardo is currently on a 1-year hiatus from regular action in F1. After a 2-year abysmal run with McLaren, the Australian driver stressed the need for him to rekindle his love for the sport. Perhaps that is what Alonso did as well while staying away from the F1 track.

Recently, while speaking with the media, including Racing News 365, he said, “The timeout helped me, maybe not so much in the driving style, but I think on the mentality and in the approach and on the motivation.”

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“I think when you are in Formula One for 18 years, it’s not that you lose motivation – I always have motivation – but I was tired of travelling, I was tired of the routine and repeating the same things. The two years out of the sport were very refreshing.”

“I was just charging my batteries and maybe the driving is similar, but mentally I’m much fresher. I’m happy to work, and happy to come to the circuit early, happy to keep chatting with the engineers, PR staff, event sponsors, all of these things.”

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His motivation to show up and always deliver his hundred percent is exactly the quality Steiner praised him for. Well, now we know where all that motivation came from.

Why the age factor does not bother Alonso

When Alonso made his intentions of rejoining F1 clear, many doubted his ability to perform at the same level as he once did. The reason behind it was his age. Having superlative reflexes is very important in a sport like F1. But reflexes tend to slow down with age. However, that is when technique comes into play and helps prolong careers. Being among the most technically gifted drivers on the grid, it is not surprising how the Spaniard has managed to stay relevant until now.

“The age thing is a factor for sure, but it’s what people think about when they see other sports,” he said. “We are not in the 100-metre race, we are not footballers. We need our strength to drive the car fast, we need the car to perform, the experience and we need the motivation.”

“At my age I still perform. With age, if anything, I try to think that there is an advantage, because I know more circuits, I know more conditions, I know more things.”

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It is amazing to see how just because of his sheer gritty personality, Alonso has managed to come so far in F1. Does he have the most wins or the most championships? No. But he surely has the heart of a lion, which he wears on his sleeve.