Fernando Alonso is currently the oldest racer in the World Championship at 43: he has been racing since 2001, the same year some of his current rivals were born. He has seen legends retire, like Michael Schumacher or Kimi Räikkönen, won 2 World Championships and 32 races, and in two decades the sport has changed greatly.
To celebrate his 400th Grand Prix, his team Aston Martin organised a Q&A with fans all around the world, and Alonso answered all kinds of questions. One of them was about how has the F1 has changed in over two decades, and for Fernando Alonso, the thing that has changed the most (for the best) is safety concerns.
"I would say that F1 introduced some safety devices that are definitely helping the sport. The circuits are more prepared to host F1 races as well. The cars, the equipment that we have and we wear at the races, the pitstops - all the things that happen in a race weekend are a little bit safer now thanks to all the teams and the FIA."
However, he believes that in terms of performance and show it hast changed that much. "I think the DNA of F1 is still the same; we start on Sunday with 20 drivers and we want to get to the finish line as fast as possible."
Better safety and enviromental concerns, but the F1 show remains the same
He mentions other changes, particularly in the techonology department, like hybrid engines, efficient fuel consumption, different tyres with same manufacturer for everyone with Pirelli, which forces teams to learn new things to stay competitive. "There are different details here and there but the nature of F1 and the DNA is still exactly the same."
Another thing that has changed is the number of races each season, which demands more and more for pilots each year. In Alonso's debut season in 2001, the F1 held 17 races per year. In 2024, this has jumped to 24 races.
This will help Alonso make history this weekend in the Mexico Grand Prix, October 27, as he will make his 400th start, the most of any racer in F1 history. And with a contract with Aston Martin ending in 2026, he will likely reach 450.