Formula 1: Former F1 driver Mika Hakkinen feels the move to Aston Martin for Fernando Alonso after replacing Sebastian Vettel for the 2023 season will be the talking point as lots of pundits and F1 title winners have shared their point of view on the matter. Follow Formula 1 updates on InsideSport.IN
“Sebastian has been a great world champion, a fantastic ambassador for the sport, and is very popular with the fans. Let’s not forget that he was able to win four titles with Red Bull and was very close to being crowned at Ferrari as well,” Hakkinen said.
“It’s easy to forget that he was the only one who really challenged the overwhelming dominance of Lewis (Hamilton) in 2017 and 2018. Choosing the right time to retire is never easy, but when you have won world championships you definitely know the moment when giving 100 percent will no longer be possible. In F1 you need to have that total commitment to winning, doing the job within the team, and accepting the constant travel, along with taking on the impact of so much stress on the family,” Hakkinen added.
NEWS: @AstonMartinF1 announces Fernando Alonso for 2023.
We are delighted to confirm that two-time #F1 World Champion @alo_oficial will join the team from next season on a multi-year contract.
Tap below to read more. ⬇️#WeClimbTogether
— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) August 1, 2022
“Seb has clearly felt that time is now and I wish him every success in the future. The news that Fernando will replace Seb at Aston Martin will come as a surprise to many people, but he still has a great passion for F1 racing and has put in some really strong performances at Alpine. Remember, he helped Esteban Ocon secure that famous win in Hungary last year. As a two-time world champion, he will bring a lot of experience and a high profile, qualities that Aston Martin’s management values highly. All in all, this is a really interesting driver change for 2023,” Hakkinen further added.
The timing could never have been exceptional to declare his retirement from the sport similarly as the summer break started off. The Hungarian Grand Prix occurred and the next day a statement was disclosed in which the German’s departure from the Silverstone-based group was made official.
Then came Alpine’s justification. Otmar Szafnauer conceded that it had been conclusive that Alonso had been offered a short agreement since they were not sure that Alonso would keep on performing at a similar level.
Meanwhile, Alonso’s move to Aston Martin happened for a lot of reasons. The main reason for his move was that he was attracted to the Aston Martin project and also he had been given more time on his contract as Lawrence Stroll was paying him more.
Mika Hakkinen, who won the F1 titles in 1998 and 1999 believes that Alonso’s move to Aston Martin and Vettel’s retirement is connected. “The announcement of Vettel’s retirement was followed by the news that his replacement will be Alonso. It’s a great move for both,” Hakkinen concluded.
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