F1 doctors may ‘recommend’ that Fernando Alonso retires amid intense neck pain at Aston Martin

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Fernando Alonso is experiencing pains so significant that doctors may intervene, according to a Spanish journalist. Aston Martin have already acknowledged that the vibrations from Honda’s engine pose a health risk.

Speaking before the Australian Grand Prix, team principal Adrian Newey said the drivers risked permanent nerve damage in their thumbs if they completed more than 25 laps. Alonso only completed 21 in Sunday’s race, but Stroll managed 43, which suggested that they were getting the problem under control.

But Emilio Perez de Rozas, who was speaking on Radio MARCA, says Alonso’s left wrist and neck are bothering him, and that the problem intensifies during extended stints in the car.

Should F1 stop Aston Martin from racing after Adrian Newey revealed Fernando Alonso’s ‘nerve damage’ fears?

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Fernando Alonso pains could impact immediate F1 future

Alonso has started a record 426 Formula 1 races across three stints in the sport since he made his debut in 2001. Perez de Rozas points out that ‘the body has a memory’.

The sheer volume of laps over a quarter of a century has taken its toll on the Spaniard’s joints, and now the Honda vibrations are exacerbating the issue.

The discomfort is so great that it could impact Alonso’s immediate future in the sport. There are already suspicions that 2026 will be his final year as he approaches the end of his contract, but it’s not guaranteed that he makes it to Abu Dhabi.

• READ MORE: Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin could ‘easily’ be in the top 10 without Honda engine issues

“We’ll see if they [doctors] recommend he stop and if he might retire,” Perez de Rosas said of the 44-year-old.

If they did make that recommendation, it would then be down to Alonso to decide whether to act on it. It’s said that his motivation levels remain high.

Who was the last F1 driver to race at the age of 45?

Alonso gave Aston Martin something to build on in Melbourne qualifying when he pushed for Q2. Overall, their showing at the first round was better than some had feared.

But some experts think Honda will need ‘two years’ to make their engine competitive, and even the kindest estimates place the timeline at around six months. Alonso needed a competitive car yesterday.

If Aston Martin are limited to lower-midfield finishes in the races where they do make the chequered flag, perhaps his motivation levels will fall.

Assuming Alonso is still racing after the summer break, he will become the first 45-year-old driver to race in Formula 1 since Graham Hill – father of Damon – in 1975.