– The Formula 1 driver market looking towards 2027 is as dull as it has been for a long time, but one exciting question remains unresolved: Will Fernando Alonso stay loyal to the premier class next season or will the two-time world champion decide on final retirement?
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The 45-year-old’s contract with Aston Martin runs out at the end of the 2026 season and there is no official decision yet. Accordingly, questions about his future have been omnipresent for several weeks – and it was no different at the media day before the Italian Grand Prix in Monza (all sessions in the live ticker!).
However, the Spaniard’s difficult situation has recently improved: The major update that Aston Martin first had on the AMR26 at the Hungarian Grand Prix seems to be showing effect. At the last race in the Netherlands, Alonso also celebrated his best season result with ninth place.
Looking at his future, however, this does not seem to have any impact. “For my decision, as I said, it’s not really about the car,” Alonso makes clear. “I will be professional and work at 100 percent, whether I’m fighting for P15 or for a podium place.”
Alonso decides future based on Formula 1 regulations
“For me, it’s more about the regulations,” emphasizes the Aston Martin driver, who has repeatedly criticized the current Formula 1 regulations in recent months. “Unfortunately, it is what it is. This is not the Formula 1 we grew up with, and this is not the Formula 1 we all want.”
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“We need to change a few things,” adds Alonso, who does not expect a quick improvement: “That won’t happen immediately. It will happen for the future, but I hope I can somehow contribute to the next regulations. We are returning to real Formula 1.”
Likewise, a quick decision about his future is not to be expected. “Well, the season [2027] starts in March, I think, so we have plenty of time, right?” says the responsible Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack. “You know, we are working on it.”
“We are quite confident that we will find a good solution for everyone,” adds the native Luxembourger and emphasizes that there is no time pressure: “Whether it’s September, October or November, it’s really no problem. At least not for me.”
Fernando Alonso “trusts Honda 100 percent”
An important prerequisite, however, is that Alonso continues to believe in the potential of Aston Martin and especially in engine partner Honda. “The facilities we have in Japan are among the best,” the Spaniard is convinced.
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“I think the personnel and management of the power unit have been strengthened, as Honda said. Many people who were in the previous project are also involved in this one again. I have no doubts. I trust Honda 100 percent. We just have to shorten this process.”
“Unfortunately, we started on the wrong foot,” admits the Aston Martin driver. “We started with these regulations and were not at the level we wanted. I have no doubt that they will get there.”
“As I have often said: We don’t want to wait five years like they did last time. We want to achieve it in a maximum of two or three years.” The result from Zandvoort, when Alonso was able to score points thanks to a bold strategy, was a first step.
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“It was a nice boost for everyone because we know that at least the direction we are taking is the right one, because we have changed many things on the car since Budapest,” says Alonso. “Obviously, we know and feel that we are reaching a much better point in the corners.”
“That gives everyone in Silverstone hope that if we maintain this philosophy and this strategy and this development pace, we will eventually be one of the fastest cars in the corners. We have ticked off one of the points.”
“On the engine side, I think that Zandvoort, to be honest, was not a big improvement,” the 45-year-old admits in retrospect. Honda had the latest development stage of the power unit in the Netherlands. “Driveability was a problem and the additional power was hard to feel in Zandvoort.”
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“Maybe Monza will be a more meaningful test for the engine, but it’s still a long way to go,” Alonso knows. “We have to improve at both ends next year, the chassis and the engine. That’s a must. That’s the biggest thing.”
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