According to Alonso, the contract is the longest he has signed in his career. According to his indications, he is likely to go well beyond his pilot career. “It ties me to Aston Martin for many years. “Let’s see how much longer I can drive,” he said. “But it’s true, I’ll still be racing when I’m 45.” He will celebrate his 45th birthday on July 29, 2026. Apparently he has agreed with racing team co-owner Lawrence Stroll that he can decide for himself what happens next after 2026.
Alonso has been driving since the beginning of 2023. At that time, he took over the cockpit from Sebastian Vettel, who ended his career. Last season he achieved a total of eight podium places and took fourth place in the drivers’ standings. After the first four races of the current season, Alonso is in eighth place. The Spaniard came sixth in Japan, fifth in Saudi Arabia and eighth in Australia.
IMAGO/Motorsport Images/Simon Galloway Aston Martin will probably be Fernando Alonso’s last stop in Formula 1
Another decisive factor for his decision, which came as a surprise at the time, was the entry of manufacturer Honda into Aston Martin for the 2026 season, when Formula 1 will undergo a major reform, particularly in the engine sector. Alonso emphasized that he was sacrificing a few more years of a normal life, but he felt fresh and full of energy. He also made it clear: “Retiring was not an option.” He simply loves racing too much to stop.
“Fantastic news” for Aston Martin
In any case, team boss Mike Krack was euphoric about Alosno’s whereabouts: “Securing Fernando’s long-term future at Aston Martin is fantastic news. We have built a strong working relationship over the last 18 months and we share the same determination to make this project a success. We have been in constant dialogue over the last few months and Fernando has kept his word: when he decided to continue racing, he spoke to us first. Fernando has shown that he believes in us and we believe in him.”
Meanwhile, Krack doesn’t believe that age could become a problem. “Fernando is hungry for success, driving better than ever, fitter than ever and fully committed to making Aston Martin a competitive force,” said Krack.
Alonso continues to enjoy a high reputation in the paddock and was also considered a candidate at Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton’s cockpit will be available there after this season; the seven-time champion will drive for Ferrari in 2025. Alonso has also been linked to Red Bull. Mexican Sergio Perez’s contract with the industry leader expires after this season.
