“It was a strange feeling. For one reason or another, we were not moving forward for a couple of months already and it seems it was a logical move to me, because Aston was very willing to have me and trust on my abilities on the track and off track, as well to develop the project.
“In my case also, it felt that after all the negotiations and the months, having the seat available for a younger driver and [a] talented driver like Oscar [Piastri] was the right thing to do and a win-win situation seems for everybody.”
There has been speculation the Spaniard wanted a more secure long-term contract than the French team were willing to give him, but Alonso said there was more than that behind his decision to make the switch.
“We were moving around in different things and we were not maybe agreeing on on the principles,” he said.
“It’s not only the what you agree in terms of duration of the contract, it’s also the trust that you feel and how you feel wanted in a place.
Alonso has elected to jump ship to Aston because “they seem to really want me”
Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“I felt that it was the right decision to move to Aston because they seem to really want me.”
Alonso also revealed that he hadn’t told Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer that he was leaving prior to the announcement, who had said his first knowledge of it was when he read Aston’s press release.
“It’s true, Otmar probably didn’t know anything,” said Alonso. “But I informed [Alpine CEO] Laurent Rossi, President [Renault CEO] Luca de Meo, my mechanics, my engineers, before any announcement – all the people that were involved in the negotiations. Otmar was not involved in the negotiations.”