Fernando Alonso confirms factors behind retirement decision ahead of Aston Martin talks

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Fernando Alonso is on the verge of competing in his 400th Grand Prix this weekend at the Mexico City GP and is the oldest driver on the grid.

The 43-year-old has been very successful, winning two world championships although Alonso has endured some frustrating seasons.

Alonso is racing with Aston Martin after joining the team in 2023. But after a competitive start to last season, they are now a distant fifth in the Constructors’ Championship.

The British team have recruited a lot of talent including Alonso and Adrian Newey, who will join Aston Martin in 2025 ahead of Formula 1 introducing new regulations the following year.

But retirement is a real prospect for the Spaniard after more than two decades on the grid. Alonso has also explained to the F1: Beyond The Grid podcast what factors he will consider at the end of 2026 to decide when he retires from Formula 1.

Fernando Alonso admots motivation will be a key factor behind his decision to retire or not

Alonso has been driving in Formula 1 since making his debut for Minardi in 2001, although he sat out 2019 and 2020 to compete at Le Mans and the Indy 500.

Motivation is a key factor that decides the longevity of a Formula 1 driver’s career, particularly in the past few years as more races are scheduled over a season.

READ MORE: The F1 team radio transcripts that show Fernando Alonso’s ‘payback’ on Liam Lawson was pointless

Alonso hasn’t been lacking motivation in recent times despite grappling with a lacklustre car in the midfield.

The two-time world champion explained that he will race over the next couple of seasons and is looking forward to racing in a Newey-designed car. But how strong is motivation is after the 2026 season will be key in Alonso deciding to retire or not.

He said: “I will race 2025, 2026 and then in 2026, I think I will see how I feel, how motivated I am and I will discuss it for sure with Lawrence [Stroll] and with Adrian, eventually, what will be the best for the team.

“As I said, because we enter this personal adventure of working with a talent like Adrian, I want to experience that behind the wheel, yes, but I’m not too scared of working alongside somehow and seeing Aston winning.

“Even if I’m not behind the wheel, because I will feel when I’m not ready to give something extra behind the wheel to the team, and maybe someone else can do a better job.”

Aston Martin have a lot of work to do to challenge for championships

Aston Martin had a brief upturn in form at the start of the season in 2023, having the third-fastest car at some events.

They suffered a dip in form after going the wrong route with updates and haven’t recovered, with Alonso admitting the Aston Martin is difficult to drive on the limit. The British team’s situation was worsened by McLaren finding more pace.

McLaren have shown it is possible to break free from the midfield, but it is rare to do so as the standards are so high at the front of the field.

Alonso is still a very impressive driver despite being the oldest on the grid and may have a competitive car in 2026 at Aston Martin to fight for his third world championship.