If you claim you weren't surprised by the news that Fernando Alonso will race for Aston Martin in 2023, chances are you're telling fibs.
It looked for all the world as though the 41-year-old would simply extend his stay with Alpine. After all, he returned to the French team after his Formula 1 hiatus to revive the glory days of his back-to-back titles when the team was branded as Renault.
But the dramatic news came on Monday morning, before the dust had even settled on the Hungarian Grand Prix. Explaining why he had chosen to pursue a fresh challenge, Alonso parroted the sort of line Lawrence Stroll has been trying to tell us ever since he bought the team.
"This Aston Martin team is clearly applying the energy and commitment to win, and it is therefore one of the most exciting teams in Formula 1 today," squawked the Spaniard, before adding: "No-one in Formula 1 today is demonstrating a greater vision and absolute commitment to winning, and that makes it a really exciting opportunity for me."
Of course, those quotes came as part of the press release announcing the news. That means they went through several layers of approval before entering the public domain – this wasn't a man speaking off-the-cuff on live TV.
So the fact Alonso's words were oddly similar to what a PR professional might write (yes, I'm wearing my cynical hat as I write this) do not come as much of a surprise. Whether or not the Spaniard actually believes it for himself is another question entirely.
The fact he has signed for Aston Martin in the first place would suggest that he does. Staying with Alpine, a team battling to be the top midfield team this season, would have been by far the safer option for a man in the twilight of a celebrated F1 career.
But not many fans are convinced. Aston Martin's results over the last 18 months have been a long way from the ambition that the team declares it has. One fan on Twitter even went as far as claiming Alonso makes "the worst career choices in history".
Of course judgement must be reserved, and there is every chance it may turn out to be a match made in heaven. But until Alonso gets in his new car and races consistently towards the front of the grid, few people will buy the claim that Aston Martin are on the way to rivalling the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.
