Alonso 2027 focus shifts away from Alpine

Flavio Briatore says Fernando Alonso is happy at Aston Martin, and his comments have pushed Alonso’s 2027 question away from an Alpine return and toward a simpler choice: keep racing in Formula 1 or stay with Aston Martin in another role.

Speaking to select media including RacingNews365, Briatore, Alonso’s longtime manager and now Alpine’s leader, cooled the talk of a reunion at Enstone. “Fernando is driving for Aston Martin,” Briatore said. “It looks like Aston Martin has made a good step compared to before [with its Hungary upgrades], and he is quite happy in Aston Martin.” He then added: “For the moment, there is nothing to say about that. He is an Aston Martin driver, and until the end of the season, he is an Aston Martin driver.”

That matters because the recent speculation was built on two pressures at once: Briatore’s position at Alpine and Aston Martin’s difficult start to 2026. The AMR26 lacked pace and reliability early in the season, and Aston Martin chose to hold back major updates until round 11 in Hungary. A further Honda engine upgrade is planned for the Dutch Grand Prix after the summer break.

Hungary changed the tone. Aston Martin’s upgraded package, described in one report as the AMR26B, put Alonso back in contention and revived discussion about what comes next. But the reports indicate that if Alonso stays in 2027, he will do so with Aston Martin. The uncertainty is not over a switch to Alpine, but whether he remains a race driver or moves into another position, with management or an Aston Martin WEC brand-driver role both cited as possibilities.

Alonso, who turned 45 on July 29 and is contracted through the end of 2026, has already framed the decision in broader terms than results alone. The key factor, he has said, is whether he still enjoys Formula 1. That question has become sharper under the new regulations, which he believes have put too much emphasis on energy management and reduced the challenge on fast circuits such as Silverstone, Suzuka and Spa-Francorchamps.

The same reports suggest people close to Alonso expect him to continue for another season, especially with Adrian Newey now beginning to shape Aston Martin’s future direction after joining as managing technical partner in spring 2025. If that view proves right, the next step is likely to be confirmation that Alonso remains part of Aston Martin’s 2027 project, with a decision expected probably in August or, at the latest, September.