Formula One's oldest driver has no intention of stepping aside for Australia's emerging talent, Oscar Piastri.
But 40-year-old Fernando Alonso has no doubt that Piastri, who turned 21 just two days ago, is bound for a F1 team.
Piastri is a reserve driver at the Australian Grand Prix for Alpine, the team of Alonso and Esteban Ocon.
Both Alonso and Ocon are gushing in their praise of their Melbourne-born reserve.
Piastri's ascension to F1 ranks appears a mere formality: he won the Formula Two championship last year; the Formula Three title in 2020 and the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019.
But Alsonso is adamant he won't readily step aside for Piastri.
"Probably if I was 25, there would not be this talk," Alonso told reporters on Friday.
"It's an age thing that people try to find a way for the young talents.
"But I think this is about performance and last year I think I did well ... this is about performance, not about age.
"At the beginning of the year I still feel competitive and fast and still enjoying (my) time in Formula One, so I will race again a couple more years, two or three more years."
But the Spanish veteran admitted Piastri could barely be more impressive.
"He is a good guy ... and now we see he has the talent," he said.
"(He) is very professional and hard-working on the simulator and in the factory and all of our meetings.
"He is still very young. And hopefully he finds a (F1) seat soon."
Alsonso's Alpine teammate Ocon concurred.
"Oscar is a great guy," the 25-year-old Frenchman told reporters on Friday.
"He is very important in the team, he is going to have a great testing program - he is probably going to be the best-prepared reserve driver ever.
"I'm very sure he's going to have a seat in Formula One shortly.
"I don't know where ... but opportunity comes for the ones who deserve it and Oscar is one of them."
