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Fernando Alonso: "Ambition to fight at the top"
Photo: Anna Szilagyi/AP
Fernando Alonso will drive next year as successor to Sebastian Vettel for Aston Martin in Formula 1.
The British racing team surprisingly announced the change of the now 41-year-old world champion from 2005 and 2006 on Monday.
Alonso got a contract for several years, it was said.
The Spaniard is still driving for the French Alpine team this season.
"I still have the hunger and the ambition to fight at the top," he emphasized.
Alonso will drive alongside Lance Stroll, son of team co-owner Lawrence Stroll.
The cockpit will be free because Vettel will retire after this season at the age of 35 (Read more here).
Alonso was world champion in 2005 and 2006 with Renault.
From 2010 to 2014 he drove for Ferrari, in 2015 he switched to McLaren.
After the 2018 season, Alonso announced his retirement from Formula 1 in order to focus primarily on the racing series in North America.
In 2021, however, he returned and drove in the premier class again for Renault under the new team name Alpine.
Stroll senior is full of praise for his future driver.
"I've known and admired Fernando for many years," said the billionaire. "He's a winner like me, so bringing him to our team was a logical step."
Who takes over Alonso's cockpit at Alpine is open.
The second driver is currently the Frenchman Esteban Ocon.
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