Racing
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Fernando Alonso says he still has no deadline to decide whether he will continue racing in Formula 1 beyond 2026, with the Aston Martin driver insisting ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix that the call will come later and on his own terms.
Speaking at Zandvoort, the two-time world champion said his future is less about short-term results and more about conversations with Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll and Adrian Newey over what the team needs. Alonso said he expects to remain with Aston Martin long term regardless of the outcome, either as a driver or in another role.
“I feel fast, I feel motivated but, honestly, I didn't think about my future until I entered now the room here,” Alonso said. Asked what he still needed to tick off before making a final decision, he replied: “My head.” He added that his focus was on the race weekend, not on 2027.
Alonso said the current rules are not the deciding factor because next season’s regulations will stay largely the same, aside from a small adjustment to internal combustion engine power. Instead, he framed the choice around whether he still wants the enjoyment and adrenaline that come with racing.
That is why Aston Martin’s latest upgrades are not, in his view, the key to the decision. The team arrived in Zandvoort with a new Honda engine upgrade after encouraging signs from the updated AMR26 in Hungary, where Alonso said the chassis changes gave the team confidence that its development direction and correlation were correct.
He said the same logic applies to the new engine package. Aston Martin wants to see whether the expected gains are delivered, but Alonso made clear that the size of the step will not sway his future. “If it’s one tenth or one second, it doesn't matter really the number,” he said. “We are too far behind to really care about a number. We just want to see that what we expected is delivered.”
Alonso also said he has not set any timetable for the final call. Having just returned from the summer break, he said he would speak with Stroll this weekend and expects further talks soon when he visits the factory for simulator work for Madrid, potentially with Newey as well.
What does seem settled is that Alonso does not see himself separating from Aston Martin. “Formula 1 will be always my life,” he said, adding that he expects to be with the team “in one role or in another for the long term.” If the team needs him in the car, he said he would consider that. If he can contribute more in another position, he would consider that too.
He also made clear that stopping in F1 would not mean stopping competition. Alonso said he still needs to race and feel the adrenaline, and pointed to other ambitions including Dakar and another Indianapolis 500 attempt. The biggest target remains a third F1 title, even if he admitted he does not know whether Aston Martin will reach that level while he is still behind the wheel.