Fernando Alonso makes decision on his F1 future beyond 2026 after Aston Martin’s dire start

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Fernando Alonso now looks set to provide Aston Martin a rare positive amid their bleak start to the 2026 season by agreeing to sign a new contract instead of retiring from F1.

The 44-year-old is set to be out of contract for Aston Martin at the end of the 2026 season, which marks his 23rd season on the grid since debuting in 2001. Alonso last put pen to fresh terms with Aston Martin in April 2024, when he was also due to be out of contract that year.

Alonso committed his future to Aston Martin in the hope that the 2026 regulations would be his route back to contending for the F1 drivers’ championship. The Spaniard won his titles in 2005 and 2006 for Renault, and he last won a Grand Prix in 2013 and last had a pole in 2012.

But instead of Aston Martin joining the best teams, the Silverstone crew are struggling not to finish last. Cadillac in their maiden F1 season have proven to be a true threat to Aston Martin so far, as, on top of Honda’s engine issues, Aston Martin’s 2026 chassis is not good enough.

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Fernando Alonso is now set to sign a new contract with Aston Martin for at least 2027

Aston Martin have already written off 2026 after three rounds, which finally produced a race finish with Alonso’s P18 in Japan. But despite taking a finish and Honda suggesting that they reduced their engine vibrations, Alonso had to take his hand off the steering wheel in Japan.

READ MORE: The best moments of Fernando Alonso’s career in Formula 1

Alonso even stated after qualifying P21, as Aston Martin locked out the back row of the grid for the Japanese Grand Prix, that he expects another 10 “difficult” races before seeing “any” improvements. Yet Aston Martin’s woe is unlikely to lead to Alonso retiring from F1 in 2026.

That is according to The i Paper, which reports that Alonso ‘does not want’ to retire from F1 on a ‘sour note’. Thus, the Oviedo native is now ‘likely’ to sign a new contract for at least the 2027 season. He wants to help Aston Martin turn their situation around and leave on a high.

Alonso agreeing to pen a new contract with Aston Martin for at least 2027 should not come as much of a surprise, despite the miserable start that the Silverstone natives have had with their new factory Honda engine deal after leaving the customer Mercedes ranks this season.

Last September, Alonso stated that 2026 would “probably” be his final season in F1 if Aston Martin aced the start of the new regulations. But he also noted that “there’s a chance” that he would sign a new contract if Aston Martin’s first 2026 rules car “goes badly”, which it has.

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That said, reports in Spain this February suggested that Alonso was considering retiring from F1 if Aston Martin fail to improve the AMR26 by the summer break. It was suggested that he wants to at least have the best midfield car, otherwise he may look to race in another series.

Alonso has already experienced life away from Formula 1 after winning the 2018/19 World Endurance Championship (WEC) title with Toyota. He also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Toyota in 2018 and 2019, along with driving for the Japanese brand in the 2020 Dakar Rally.

The Spaniard still aspires to win the Dakar Rally in his career, as well as winning the Indy 500 to complete motorsport’s Triple Crown. Alonso contested the Indianapolis 500 with McLaren in 2017 and 2020, and entered it in 2019 but failed to qualify, but has yet to win on the oval.