The Aston Martin team expressed its desire to keep Fernando Alonso on its driver roster beyond the end of the current Formula 1 season. The Spaniard, who has already won two world championships and is the most experienced competitor on the grid, has a contract in force until the end of 2026 and is expected to make his next career steps official during the category’s summer break.
This information was confirmed on Thursday (25) by Mike Krack, responsible for track operations at Aston Martin, during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, reinforcing the team’s expectations.
Statements from the boss of Aston Martin about the future of the driver
“Fernando has decided that he will make a decision around the summer holidays, and we are satisfied with our drivers,” said Krack. The team boss emphasized the importance of the driver, adding: “Fernando shouldn’t retire. He’s too fast.”
The 2026 season has proven challenging for Aston Martin. In the first year of the engine partnership with Honda, the team is facing difficulties related to the performance and reliability of its cars. After seven stages, the team occupies tenth place in the constructors’ championship, just ahead of Cadillac, in a grid of 11 teams.
The only point won by the team so far in the championship was secured by Alonso. His teammate is Canadian Lance Stroll.
Speculation about a possible move to the Alpine team
In recent months, Alonso’s name was also mentioned by the international press as a possible target for Alpine, a team that belongs to Renault. Alpine is currently led by Flavio Briatore, former boss of Renault during the periods in which the Spaniard won his two world titles, which fuels speculation.
The driver himself stated that Krack’s comments do not change his plans and reiterated that he feels fully competitive to compete for the top positions.
“I haven’t made any decisions yet. I’ll probably wait until the summer holidays in August. After that come Zandvoort and Monza, so I believe around that time I’ll decide what to do next year,” Alonso explained about his timetable.
Alonso stressed that his motivation to compete remains intact and that he is not considering ending his career due to a possible lack of performance.
“I will continue running because I feel fast, motivated and I love what I do. I’m not going to stop now because I don’t feel uncompetitive nor have I stopped enjoying running”, said the two-time champion, highlighting his passion for the sport.
The Spaniard, however, made a point of highlighting that the decision to continue competing does not necessarily imply his remaining in Formula 1.
“I still love Formula 1. I’m also committed to this team. Even if I don’t race, my commitment to the team and the project will remain the same,” he concluded, indicating a loyalty to the Aston Martin project that can go beyond the tracks.