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Szafnauer admits age of Alonso was a factor in contract talks

Szafnauer admits age of Alonso was a factor in contract talks

06-08-2022 09:44 Last update: 10:44
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GPblog.com

Alpine says uncertainty about Fernando Alonso's performance combined with his age was the reason the French team could not offer him a multi-year contract.

The Enstone-based team was on the verge of signing a new deal with the two-time world champion before the Spaniard made an unexpected decision earlier this week and announced his move to Aston Martin. One of the key factors in Alonso's decision to switch teams was that Aston Martin were prepared to offer him a much longer term commitment. This contract would reportedly be for no less than three years, including options.

Flexibility

Alpine, however, was only prepared to enter into a 'one-plus-one deal' to provide some flexibility in case Alonso's form weakened. Although Alonso, who is 41, felt that such a concern was unfounded as he does not yet see any signs of weakening in his form, Alpine's concern is that there may come a point when the situation could change.

Not counting on age

Looking back at what Alpine were prepared to offer Alonso, team boss Otmar Szafnauer said that there could be no charging for his age, and that is why the team wanted to protect themselves."It's hard to predict the future" Szafnauer explained to Motorsport.com. The team boss thinks he wanted security, regardless of performance.