Valtteri Bottas says Fernando Alonso's competitive longevity in the sport has made him an "outlier" in F1 and a source of inspiration for the Finn himself.
At the age of 42, despite the evolving landscape of Formula 1 and the emergence of a new generation of talented drivers, Alonso remains a formidable force on the track.
And Aston Martin's strong level of performance this season has only fueled the two-time world champion's unwavering passion and relentless will to win.
As he continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in the world of motorsport, Alonso serves as an inspiration to aspiring racers and a reminder that age is just a number when it comes to achieving greatness in Formula 1.
At 34, and based on Alonso's enduring presence on the grid, Bottas reckons that he can extend his own tenure in the sport for many more years.
"If you look at Fernando, he’s now a good example of what you can do and still perform," said Bottas, in an interview with Speedcafe.
"I still have many years. Of course, in this sport you always need to prove yourself with results.
"And that’s also now my motivation, to try and get good results, to maximise everything every weekend and also work hard with the team off the track."
Bottas admitted however that Alonso is an exception rather than the rule when it comes to longevity. Still, the Aston Martin driver serves as an excellent wellspring of motivation for his rivals.
"He’s perhaps an outlier," added the Alfa Romeo F1 charger. "It’s not been done many times in this sport that you can still be super competitive at that age.
"Every person is different, every driver is different, but, as I say, he’s maybe a bit of an outlier.
"But he’s still quite motivating to see that and definitely an example.
"I feel like I’m definitely not going down yet. In this sport, once you get to this stage where you have lots of experience, then that can also be quite attractive for many teams in certain situations."
©AlfaRomeo
Bottas obviously hopes to be part of Sauber's future when the Swiss outfit opens the next chapter of its history with Audi in 2026.
In the interim, the Finn will fulfill his duties and help the Hinwil squad transition into its new identity to the best of his ability with the aim of seeing Audi kick off its F1 involvement on the right foot.
"There have been a few structural changes," Bottas commented, referring to the new management at Sauber that was put in place this year following the arrival of former McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl.
"It took some time for Andreas to discover what this team really needs, what is going to be the long-term plan, and now he’s starting to put the plan together.
"Obviously, the results of all these changes they are going to be shown, perhaps not next year, but in two, three, four years."
But can the ten-time Grand Prix winner continue to stick it out in the thick of F1's midfield until 2026?
"Waiting until ’26 to be back on the podium, yes, I’m happy to wait for that," he said.
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