Ever since the 2026 season started, there has been a lot of doubt as to what Fernando Alonso's future looks like from next year. Given that the 2-time Champion is 45 years old, there is no doubt that he is considering retiring from the sport. However, that's not something Aston Martin wants.
Despite his age, Alonso has shown that he has the pace and motivation required to compete in this sport. Formula 1 is often considered to be the pinnacle of motorsport. We have seen several drivers who are much younger than Alonso burn out over the past few years. But the Spaniard still holds on. Aston Martin does not want to waste this type of natural talent and determination.
Fernando Alonso has an F1 seat for 2027 if he wants it
The team has openly stated that the seat is Alonso's if he decides to remain in the sport. In Hungary, Aston Martin's Technical Partner, Adrian Newey, seemed confident that the partnership with the Spaniard and Aston Martin would continue.
“Obviously, Fernando is an amazing driver,” ↗︎he said.
“He brings huge amounts to the team, both in his feedback and his ability.
“So, for us, of course it’s important. I’m pretty confident that Fernando is enjoying his time with us and that we will continue with our relationship.”
2× World Champion
While Newey states that Alonso is enjoying his time with the team, their performance this year has not been the greatest. The team brought an underwhelming car for testing and did not update it until the Hungarian Grand Prix. Although this was a performance boost that was much needed by the team, they were still far off from scoring points. But Alonso's impending decision whether to remain in the sport or not is not going to depend on the team's performance, but on the regulations.
Ever since the 2026 regulations came into effect this season, the drivers have not been happy with how the hybrid component of the power unit works. Especially on circuits with long straights.
“Driving these cars in places like Spa or Silverstone is not what I’m dreaming of for my future,” he told the media. “So we’ll see.”
Aston Martin's plan B
Although the team would prefer Alonso to get back into the cockpit next year, they need to be prepared to replace Alonso if needed. As mentioned before, Aston Martin has always had a strong driver alongside Stroll. Given the current driver market, there is one name that makes more sense than the others: Carlos Sainz.
2026 Season: Carlos Sainz vs Fernando Alonso
2026 · P15
2026 · P19
After being replaced by Lewis Hamilton in 2025, Sainz joined Williams Racing. While he did put on some impressive performances last year, the team has failed to deliver a strong car this year. This has left Sainz contemplating where he will drive next year. This could provide an opportunity for Aston Martin. However, the team will have to wait for Fernando Alonso to make his decision.
Alonso did mention that he will be making his decision sometime after the summer break. So we can expect some news coming from Fernando's camp sometime between now and the next couple of weeks.
