The uncertain future of Aston Martin drivers
Formula 1 is experiencing its summer break before the Dutch GP, but while waiting for the Zandvoort weekend, some question marks remain for the next world championship regarding drivers’ contracts with their teams. A particular case, in detail, is that of Aston Martin; the Silverstone team’s agreement with Fernando Alonso will expire at the end of 2026, although the latest rumors seem to indicate a renewal of the two-time world champion until 2028, when the Spaniard will even be racing at 47 years old. And what about Lance Stroll?
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A year of evaluation
The Canadian, like his teammate, also has a contract expiring at the end of 2026, but being the son of Lawrence, the team owner, his renewal could materialize with less difficulty. The fact remains that, after a forgettable start to the season for the British team, if the car’s competitiveness does not improve, Stroll would leave the team at the end of 2027, or even earlier. This last opinion was expressed by a former Formula 1 driver like Juan Pablo Montoya.
The Colombian, interviewed by F1Maximaal, believes that Aston Martin seriously risks losing both drivers if performance does not improve: “Stroll will leave if the car does not improve – he said – if the car is not better next year, I believe Aston Martin will have two open seats in 2028. Everyone hopes that Adrian Newey and Honda ensure the car is competitive. Stroll has been racing in Formula 1 for many years. If he doesn’t see improvements, how much longer will he want to continue? Sooner or later, there will be an Aston Martin without Lance Stroll. Maybe next year, maybe the year after.”
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A hope
Both drivers will be able to approach their final decision after the Dutch GP, an event where Aston Martin will present itself with a revised Honda power unit. Additionally, in the last Hungarian GP, the team had brought a large package of updates, with the first results arriving during qualifying, after which Alonso finished in Q2 for the first time this year: “I believe the race in Hungary gave them new life – Montoya concluded – it was as if suddenly they said to themselves: ‘Hey, wait a minute, things are starting to get interesting again’.”
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