Fernando Alonso: How pros and cons of F1 experience helped mega Qatar sprint quali

The double Formula 1 champion will start fourth for Saturday's sprint race at the Losail International Circuit, his best grid position of the 2025 season

McLaren boss Zak Brown this week referred to Formula 1 title hopeful Max Verstappen as the man in horror films who just cannot be shifted during his appearance on The Sports Agent podcast.

He made that comment in the context of the 2025 F1 title fight which, initially, was thought to be between McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris - only for the four-time world champion to enjoy a late resurgence and put himself in the conversation.

But if that is what Verstappen is to Brown, then what would his former McLaren colleague Fernando Alonso be? Because at the age of 44, the two-time F1 world champion is still going strong. He holds the championship’s grand prix starts record with 423 - 45 more than second-placed Lewis Hamilton - he is in his 22nd season after making his debut in 2001 and it looks as though Alonso has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

There has, of course, been conversations this year about whether the Spaniard is past his best, considering it’s been a tough season for his Aston Martin squad and is 12 years since his last victory, which came at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.

Yet Alonso then responded to said doubts by performing brilliantly in qualifying for Saturday’s Qatar Grand Prix sprint race by sticking himself on the second row. He will start fourth behind the McLaren duo and Mercedes man George Russell and two spots above reigning champion Verstappen for what will be his highest starting position of the year - beating fifth at Imola, Budapest and Sao Paulo.

“Yeah, I mean, 24 years experience, 44-year-old, it has some disadvantages,” said Alonso, who qualified 12 spots above team-mate Lance Stroll.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

“I get a bit more tired with the jet lag and the travelling, but I know the tracks, I know the tyres, I know the car, I know how to track everything on Friday. Then on Saturday, it's true that we can open the parc ferme.

“We do change the car a little bit, minor tweaks, and yeah, everyone seems to get on top of the circuit. But yeah, let's see, let's go one step at a time. Let's do tomorrow, the sprint race, and then into quali [for Sunday’s grand prix].”

What makes Alonso’s motivation more remarkable is that he has been stuck fighting in the midfield for quite a while now, marking a stark contrast from his early days having become world champion at the age of 24.

Aston Martin is eighth in the 2025 championship with two rounds remaining and is without a podium since 2023, when Alonso took eight of them during his debut year with the Silverstone squad.

So, for Alonso to still be pushing the team is admirable, though what helps is the widespread regulation change that will come into effect in 2026 with alterations to both the chassis and power unit.

“Maybe back in 2022, the winter after the 2022 season, obviously when I joined Aston Martin, I knew that the team was progressing well that winter and 2023 could be a good season,” said Alonso, who made the shock move from Alpine.

Alonso's last podium was the 2023 Brazilian GP

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

“So I was excited at that time. Now it's a change of regulations. There are more unknowns now of what the regulations will be, which team will start in a better way. But yeah, I think excited for sure.

“Also this year, as I said before, it's tough. We are not really in contention for any big things. So we just want to finish the season in the best way possible - these next two races are important.

“For the constructors' championship, we are all in five, seven points and we have three opportunities to score points, two here in Qatar, one in Abu Dhabi and we want to outscore the competitors. So yeah, excited, next year is going to be interesting.”

Not only would a good result in the sprint potentially help Aston Martin leapfrog Haas into seventh, as just one point separates both sides, but it would also stop the threat of ninth-placed Sauber cutting its four-point gap to the British marque.