Fernando Alonso links his F1 future to making the cars enjoyable to drive again

Fernando Alonso links his F1 future to making the cars enjoyable to drive again 1 of 2 | Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain walks through the paddock ahead of Sunday’s Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix auto race, at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) 2 of 2 | Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain attends a news conference ahead of the Sunday’s Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix auto race, at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) 1 of 2 | Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain walks through the paddock ahead of Sunday’s Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix auto race, at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) 1 of 2 Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain walks through the paddock ahead of Sunday’s Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix auto race, at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 2 | Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain attends a news conference ahead of the Sunday’s Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix auto race, at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) 2 of 2 Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain attends a news conference ahead of the Sunday’s Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix auto race, at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Mogyorod, Hungary (AP) — Fernando Alonso has suggested his future in Formula 1 could depend on whether the cars become more enjoyable to drive.Alonso and Aston Martin have struggled with a slow and unreliable car, the first produced with car design great Adrian Newey in charge. Alonso scored the team’s only point so far this season at the Monaco Grand Prix.The two-time F1 champion turns 45 next week and signed what was described as a “multiyear” extension in 2024. He confirmed he still has a contract for 2027 with Aston Martin, “so I’m not moving.”“For me, I’m relaxed. As I’ve said many times, I’m thinking. I need to know what I do next year and in the years to come. I feel fresh, I feel motivated, I feel fast, but I need to enjoy also what I do,” Alonso said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Alonso was sharply critical of the last two races in Britain and Belgium, where the cars ran out of battery power on the long straights. “I think it’s not fun to watch, it’s not fun to drive, and we’ve been repeating the same thing every single Grand Prix,” he said. “It’s not the same adrenaline that I used to have driving a Formula 1 car. That’s something that I need to put on the table. It’s not a problem with the competitiveness of the team. It’s just a problem of whether Formula 1 gives me the adrenaline that I need to live.”Aston Martin is bringing a major package of upgrades to its car for the Hungarian Grand Prix. An engine upgrade from supplier Honda is expected later, but Hungary’s relatively slow and twisty track could make up for the Aston Martin’s lack of power. 2 MIN READ 3 MIN READ Alonso said he still believed Newey and Honda could deliver a world-beating car and engine combination given time. “I think I have a pretty clear picture of the team, that we will fix all the problems. They take time, but I have no doubts, zero doubts, that Adrian will provide the best car on the grid sooner or later,” he said.“I would like to see the first step with this package ... and I think there’s going to be more to come next year, that’s for sure, and in the years to come. On the power unit, I have no doubts as well.”___AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing