What future in F1 for Fernando Alonso?
With practically lifetime contract renewals for Max Verstappen first, and Lando Norris later, the Formula 1 driver market seems to have died down even before it started. However, there is still at least one prestigious seat to be assigned, even if the 2026 performances have certainly distanced the team from the list of truly coveted ones: what will Fernando Alonso do with Aston Martin? Will he renew his contract for at least another year giving another chance to his historic “enemy” Adrian Newey, or will he decide to move elsewhere – the Briatore-Alpine track has faded with the recent confirmation of Franco Colapinto – or maybe stop for a non-operational role as team ambassador?
Read more Yamaha factory points with Rins at Aragon
Add FormulaPassion to your Favorite Sources on Google
Jenson Button’s advice to his former teammate
There is still no answer, but on his blog on the Aston Martin website it is Jenson Button who gives us an idea regarding the possible renewal of the two-time world champion Spaniard. Button, who shared the unfortunate McLaren-Honda period with Alonso in 2015-2016 and who is now the brand ambassador of Aston Martin, however seems to suspect the possibility that the Spaniard still wants to continue his F1 driving career. “Fernando Alonso’s future – reads the blog Jenson’s Journal on the English team’s website – is currently a very hot topic. I have no idea if he will decide to continue racing but I know for sure that, when he decides to retire, he will rightly be considered one of the greats of F1. Personally, I hope he stays a little longer. The biggest compliment I can give him is that racing against him was very similar to racing against Michael Schumacher”.
“I knew when it was time to retire from F1 and I stopped at 36, nine years younger – Button continues – than Fernando is today. But I was ready, I had spent a couple of difficult years because I actually didn’t want to race anymore. It seemed to me that there was nothing new left to achieve for me and when you reach that point you understand it’s time to stop. However, I think the difference for Fernando is that he still has an exciting challenge ahead of him even though obviously this year has been difficult. But it is still an exciting time to be part of Aston Martin and work with people like Adrian Newey. Any F1 driver would want to drive a car designed by him and see firsthand how he is leading this team forward”.
Read more Aragon: the Aprilia RS-GP ‘betrays’ Raul Fernandez
Will Alonso renew for 2027?
Good reasons, in short, for the Spaniard to decide to give himself at least another lap: “I know how hard it is to decide about your future, and he has already been through it once because he has already left the sport and come back. Now he will make sure he is 100 percent sure he no longer wants to be part of Formula 1 before leaving. I believe he still has a lot to give in F1 and I would really love to see him in an Aston fighting for victory. That’s where he should be, and that’s where this team aims to get. Fernando Alonso hasn’t won as much as he should have. He found himself in unfortunate situations a couple of times, one of which right next to me, but the talent and the desire to win are still there, and that is the key to staying in this sport and being competitive”.
Read more Madring: 300 meters of electric cables stolen two weeks before the first GP
