Alonso still targets to win third F1 title

Two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso insists that he still has ambitions to secure his third Formula One world title, but he has revealed that he would love to return to Dakar Rally after retiring from Formula One.

Fernando Alonso made his F1 debut with Minardi back in 2001. Having spent the following season as a test driver, he joined the Renault outfit where he secured his two championship titles in 2005 and 2006.

Following a five-year stint at Ferrari, he switched to McLaren before staying away from the pinnacle of motorsport for two years.

The Spaniard made his comeback with Alpine in 2021 before joining Aston Martin last season. The 43-year-old collected seven podium finishes at the start of 2023, but the Silverstone-based outfit has endured a dip in form this year.

Despite the difficulties, in April, Alonso agreed to a new multi-year contract committing him to the team until at least the end of the 2026 season, the first year of the sport’s new regulations and the start of Aston Martin’s works partnership with Honda.

Speaking at an event organized by Aston Martin's title sponsor Cognizant, Alonso said that while he still has ambitions outside Formula One, he is very much focused on winning his third F1 title.

“Clearly the Triple Crown is very attractive to me, that is, winning Monaco F1, Le Mans, and the Indy500. But with the Indy500 I tried three times and I couldn’t. Trying again is not in my plans at the moment.

"I’m very, very focused on F1: in the next two or three years I want to win the third world title. It is currently my first and only priority. After this I will be 45-46 years old and we will see how I will be. I have other goals, my next challenge will be the Dakar Rally.

"If I could win it, I would be enormously gratified. As a driver, being able to win in Endurance at Le Mans and Daytona, in F1 and then also in Rally would mean a lot.”