Fernando Alonso feels sorry for failing to win either the 2010 or 2012 Formula 1 championships with Ferrari after narrowly missing out in both years.
Alonso lost the 2010 title to Sebastian Vettel by four points and by three points to the Red Bull driver again two years later.
At the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Alonso couldn’t pass Vitaly Petrov‘s Renault and finished in seventh, which was not enough to win a third championship.
In 2012, an opening lap spin for Vettel in Brazil opened the door for Alonso to win the title with Ferrari. However, Vettel recovered to sixth and snatched the title by three points, as the season closed behind the safety car.
“Going back is impossible,” Alonso said to the High Performance podcast. “But winning the world championship with Ferrari is the first thing I would change if it were possible to go back in time.
“In 2010 and 2012 we came within a few laps of winning a championship and that probably could have changed the outcome of many things and the story of others.
“I was sorry I couldn’t do it, but there are also factors that depend on a lot of other people and other teams, the performance of the cars, it’s hard to have regrets about something you don’t have control over.”
Focused on improving, not on enjoying
At 42 years old, Alonso feels regretful that he did not enjoy the two titles he won, against the rapid Kimi Raikkonen and formidable Michael Schumacher, as much as he should have done.
“I know that I am almost at the end and there will be a new life without driving,” Alonso continued on the podcast. “But when I look back, I will remember many good things, beautiful friendships and incredible experiences.
“I feel I should have had more fun, if I had to relive my life in the same way one more time, I wouldn’t change anything about my teams, my choices, the missed title in Ferrari or anything else, I would just like to experience more of those moments and make more memories.
“I won the title in Brazil in 2005 and 2006, but I struggle to remember the moments of those afternoons and nights, thinking about it is a bit sad. Those are the things I would change if I could.”
Learning to appreciate the good days
After leaving Ferrari, Alonso raced for McLaren until 2018, before retiring from F1 to attempt to win the ‘triple crown’ of motorsport: the Indy500, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco GP.
He returned to F1 in 2021 with Alpine and stuck with the French team for two years before surprisingly joining Aston Martin.
At the Silverstone-based team, Alonso has finally got back to the upper-end of the field where his talents belong and has enjoyed a solid degree of success that he is enjoying.
“At the time of my victories in Renault and then with Ferrari it was nice, but you were always focused on next weekend,” Alonso continued, on the podcast. “You land, you get home and send your engineer a message, ‘We have to test the software at the rear’ and that sort of thing.
“Today when I finish third or second I seem the happiest person because I enjoy that kind of moment more.”
Where is the next F1 2023 race?
F1 will return from its summer break with the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix from Zandvoort on August 25-27, where championship leader Max Verstappen will be racing on home soil.
