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Fernando Alonso has committed his future to Aston Martin with the team announcing a deal has been agreed that will keep the Spaniard at the team when the new regulations arrive in 2026.
The two-time world champion joined the Silverstone-based outfit from Alpine in 2023. The Spaniard replaced fellow world champion Sebastian Vettel, who retired from the sport at the end of 2022.
Alonso enjoyed a successful debut season with Aston Martin – securing six podium finishes throughout the first eight races in 2023.
The 42-year-old’s highs included P2 finishes in Monaco, Canada and the Netherlands – the first half of the season saw the Silverstone team flying.
However, the team would drop off in form as the season progressed, dropping from second to fifth in the constructors’ championship. Despite the dip in form, it was still a massive improvement from the seventh place finish in the 2022 constructors’ championship.
The 2024 season has not gone as well as the start of the 2023 had. The team has secured multiple top-10 finishes in a steady season, seeing them currently fifth in the constructors’ championship.
No move to Mercedes
Lots of speculation was occurring after Lewis Hamilton’s shock move to Ferrari for the 2025 season. It left many wondering who would replace the seven-tie world champion and partner George Russell for 2025.
Lots of names were thrown in, including Alonso. However, those questions have been answered now with the Spaniard signing a new deal, committing with the Silverstone outfit going into the new regulations.
Alonso already hinted that he wasn’t planning on joining the Brackley-based team. The 42-year-old was asked on the matter, responding that the German manufacturers are not better than Aston Martin this season. Therefore, he questioned why he would go there.
Mercedes have had a disappointing season so far. The German team are nowhere near close to fighting for race wins and are firmly in the midfield battle.
Alonso thankful towards Aston Martin
Alonso was firmly aware of the speculation around him potentially leaving the team. However, the Spaniard expressed his gratitude towards the team for their trsut in him.
“There has been much said and written about my future in Formula One in the past few months, but today I’m delighted to announce that I’m here to stay with Aston Martin Aramco in a multi-year agreement.
“I said at the start of the year that I would decide if I wanted to continue racing first and then sit down with the team. From the moment I joined the team in 2023 I felt extremely at home. In just over 15 months we have already achieved so much together, with some memorable podiums and battles.
“I am very grateful for the trust Lawrence, Martin and Mike have put in me and with Lance I am excited to see what else we can achieve together. This is only the beginning for this project and I am proud to be part of it. I am at my physical best and still hungry. I will give my all as we continue our journey to becoming a world championship winning team.”
Honda engine for 2026
Alonso has had some history with Honda engines. The Spaniard was not impressed with the Japanese manufacturers whilst at McLaren. He expressed his feeling by calling it a “GP2 engine” at the manufacturers home race at Suzuka.
However, Honda have recently experienced success with the dominant Red Bull in recent season. Now, the Japanese manufacturers will be joining forces with Aston Martin as a works team in 2026 for the new engine regulations.
The team’s team principal Mike Krack is delighted to have retained Alonso for more years, emphasising that the Spaniard is still hungry for more:
“We have been in constant dialogue over the last few months and Fernando has been true to his word: when he decided he wanted to continue racing, he talked to us first. Fernando has shown he believes in us, and we believe in him.
“Fernando is hungry for success, driving better than ever, is fitter than ever, and is completely dedicated to making Aston Martin Aramco a competitive force.”
“This multi-year agreement with Fernando takes us into 2026 when we begin our works power unit partnership with Honda. We look forward to creating more incredible memories and achieving further success together.”
Feature Image Credit: Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images