Formula 1 Not Mercedes or Red Bull: Alonso stays with Aston Martin
Staying at Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso. photo
© Darko Bandic/AP/dpa
The timing comes as a bit of a surprise. Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso decided early on which team he wanted to drive for next year.
One of the biggest personnel questions for the coming year in Formula 1 has been clarified: Fernando Alonso will not be moving to Mercedes or Red Bull.
The 42-year-old Spaniard has extended his contract with the British racing team Aston Martin. “It’s a life project,” emphasized Alonso in a virtual media round. He did not provide any information about the exact length of his new contract, but it 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 long I’ll be driving,” 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. Stroll’s son Lance is currently a teammate.
For Alonso, resignation was not an option
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 massive 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: “Resignation was not an option.” He just loves racing too much to stop.
“Here to stay,” an unusual message initially said only from Aston Martin without any further information. A short video followed via Instagram in which Alonso sits down on a leather chair and says: “I am Fernando Alonso, and I am here to stay.” Aston Martin writes underneath: “The story continues.”
He once ended Michael Schumacher’s title series
Shortly afterwards, Formula 1 clarified on its homepage that the two-time world champion had signed a contract. Alonso has been driving for the team, which has a new, ultra-modern factory directly on the Silverstone racetrack, since the beginning of 2023. At that time, he took over the cockpit from Sebastian Vettel, who ended his career. Alonso drove his first race in 2001, and the driver from Oviedo celebrated his greatest successes with the world championship titles in 2005 and 2006. In the Renault, Alonso ended Michael Schumacher’s series of titles in the Ferrari.
During his stints at McLaren, Ferrari and Alpine (former Renault team), Alonso was unable to win another world title. In 2019 and 2020, Alonso took a break from the premier class of motorsport.
He is highly regarded in the paddock for his abilities 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. The contract of the Mexican Sergio Pérez with the industry leader expires after this season.
dpa
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