Formula E chief opens door to Fernando Alonso switch

Formula E co-founder and chief championship officer Alberto Longo has opened the door to Fernando Alonso, insisting the Aston Martin driver "just needs to call".

It follows the two-time Formula 1 champion mentioning the all-electric series' new Gen4 car for next season, with him including Formula E among the categories that interest him.

Alonso mentioned the World Endurance Championship, the Dakar Rally and Formula E as categories with cars he believes would be fun to drive, the latter being something he has never previously mentioned.

"Dakar and rally cars in general are very fun because you're just dancing with the car," Alonso told select media, including RacingNews365. "Any car, even Formula E. I think the new car next year, with four-wheel drive, seems quite fast from the tests they did."

The Aston Martin driver is expected to decide whether to extend his F1 career into 2027 over the coming weeks, as the championship prepares for its summer break.

At 44 years old, and soon to turn 45, time is against the veteran. Even if he were to make the remarkable decision to join Formula E, it would not be until 2028 at the earliest. By then, he would be closer to 50 than 40.

Alonso joining Formula E remains highly unlikely. A significant pay cut would be required compared to his current salary, and that is only scratching the surface.

Nevertheless, the fact the Spaniard has openly mentioned Formula E marks a significant change, and if he were to make the switch, it would be an incredibly emotional moment for Longo.

"As you can imagine, for me it would be a dream come true," Longo told RacingNews365 during an interview. "Fernando is a close friend, a personal friend. I met him back in 2002.

"So it would be a very emotional day for me if Fernando ended his career in Formula E. But just the fact that he's already talking about it is significant. He has never spoken about Formula E in the past, you know. 

"So that tells you the level of interest that Gen4 is creating. It's basically awakening the interest of people who had never considered Formula E as an option for their careers."

Door open to Alonso

Formula E is attracting increasing interest from the world of F1, something that was evident at the Monaco E-Prix, where Lando Norris, Nico Hülkenberg, Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto and Oliver Bearman all made appearances.

The reigning F1 world champion was even set to test the Gen4, a car that was recently unleashed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

If Alonso were to decide to give Formula E a go, it would be a huge boost for the championship for several reasons. Firstly, it would attract the attention Alonso brings. Secondly, if he were to struggle, it would underline the quality of the current Formula E grid.

What is clear is that, if Alonso wanted to test the car, let alone speak to a team, all it would take is a phone call.

Asked if he would be keen to offer Alonso a test in the Gen4, Longo replied: "Fernando just needs to call me. 

"The moment he calls me, I will do whatever is needed to support him with a test or to introduce him to any team. He knows that—we speak a lot every year."