Alonso: F1 quality of life better since leaving Ferrari

The Spaniard quit Ferrari at the end of 2014 amid frustrations at his title near misses and doubts about its potential for progress.

And although Alonso knew that the move to McLaren would not deliver instant results as Honda returned to F1, its failure to make the step needed to challenge at the front after three years has not been easy for him to accept.

But against the backdrop of a Ferrari resurgence, with Sebastian Vettel at the head of the drivers’ championship after winning two of the first three races, Alonso says he is actually happier being away from Maranello.

“We would like to be more competitive here, that’s for sure,” said Alonso. “At least in the years that I had [in my] contract, 2015, 2016, I’m still thinking that I took a good decision to come to McLaren.

“I learned many things. I worked with one of the best engineers that I ever worked with here in McLaren that currently we have in the team. I learned so many things, and there [at Ferrari] arrived the time that it was too stressful not to keep winning.

“When you are in your first, second, third year it’s okay. But when you are in your seventh, or eighth year, it’s very difficult. The quality of life improved for me in the last two years, despite the results.”

Alonso thinks it wrong of people to suggest that Ferrari’s successes this year mean he should never have left – because he says ultimately the Maranello team will always be one of the best teams in F1.

Asked about regrets of leaving now that Ferrari is in the title hunt, he said: “I didn’t have a contract for this year. Even if Ferrari will win… even in 20 years time, Ferrari will keep winning, and hopefully they won’t ask if Alonso was right or not to leave Ferrari. I will be 75 years old!

“I drove five years there. They won before, they won in my time, and we were fighting for the world championship until the end. 

"They won a couple of races the last two years, they are winning races now, and they will win races and championships in the future. So it’s not always if Fernando did well or not.”

He added: “When I left Renault people said, ‘You should never have left Renault’ in 2006. They never won any more times. Probably you say this because I saw some covers of magazines today, ‘A wasted talent.’

“I’m super happy with my career, I was always in a competitive car, thank god, and I had an opportunity to reach things.

"There are many talented drivers here that have never been on the podium, so we’ll see what the future brings. At the moment I’m quite happy with what I did and what I am today.”