Alpine F1 Team driver, Fernando Alonso, will go under the knife in January to have the two titanium plates in his upper jaw removed. These were implanted in February for injuries following a cycling accident in Switzerland. 

As reported by Motorsports.com, Fernando Alonso confirmed the news at a press conference: “The accident with the bicycle in February last year didn’t help. This January, I will have the plates removed from the face, so I will have two weeks off in January. But probably I would have had those weeks off anyway, even without the surgery, because it is the time to relax”.

“After that, we need to go into winter testing with a good programme physically, and also in the car, and get ready. If the car is competitive, I’m sure I will be 100%” – the Spaniard pointed out.   

The new surgery is in line with Alonso’s plans following the accident. Back then he stated that he would need further surgery at the end of the 2021 season to remove the plates in his upper jaw.  

A very untimely accident  

The accident took place just as he was preparing for his Formula One comeback with Alpine after a two-year absence from the sport. The Spanish driver was run over by a vehicle as he was riding his bicycle in his town of residence, Lugano.

As a result, he sustained several injuries over his face and had to undergo immediate surgery to fix a fractured jaw. Despite the operation being a success, it came at a key moment of the pre-season training, and by his own admission, slowed his preparation down.    

“After the bike accident, I was counting the days to go to Bahrain, and I had just the right time to do so, but not with a proper physical programme” – Fernando Alonso said -.  

The twice F1 World Champion himself acknowledged he took his time to get used to the French team and to get comfortable again behind the wheel. He had some difficulties with the helmet and the pressure that this exerted on his face.  

Fernando Alonso’s more mature training  

Fernando Alonso has also spoken about how his physical training has changed ahead of the new season, and how this had to adapt to his age. He is to compensate for his seniority, made worse by his upcoming surgery, with hard work and all of the necessary effort and sacrifice.  

“Obviously I don’t train in the same way now that I am 40 as when I was 23. Now you have to train more. You have to stretch more, you have to have a different eating routine, you have to do many other things to be in the same shape and have the same strength”.  

“I’m ready to do so (sacrifice), that is why I came back as well. There are more sacrifices to do, but that’s the plan for this winter. I will be as strong as I can, and I know that I will have to train more and do more than other drivers because I’m older than them.”