Alonso hints at F1 exit: 'That will probably going to be my last season'

Alonso: '2026 will probably be my last F1 season'

Last season, it was announced that Fernando Alonso signed a two-year contract extension at Aston Martin, having a deal until the end of 2026. The experienced Spaniard is very excited about joining forces with Adrian Newey and Honda, but sees that the one after the regulation changes take place might just be his final year in F1.

"Probably – or at least to start with – it will be my last season in Formula 1 because my contract finishes at the end of 2026, so it’s the time of delivering and the time of truth. High expectations," the two-time champion began in the Chequered Flag podcast.

He continued: "I will start the season thinking like that, for sure, because I cannot think too much in the future. At the moment, my current contract is for two more years. With my age, my motivation, I don’t know how it’s going to be. If the 2026 season is running smoothly and we’re having a good time and there is a possibility to race one more year, I will be open, for sure. I will not close the door beforehand, but I will not start [the season] thinking that. I will take every race if it was my last race and I will enjoy every second."

The Spaniard at the moment is by far the most experienced driver in F1, and is the only driver with more than 400 Grands Prix under his belt. He would then like to do more rallying in the future, with the goal of winning the Dakar Rally. In 2020, Alonso competed in the desert for the first time, and he eventually finished more than five hours behind winner Carlos Sainz Sr. In his other adventures, he has already tried out the Indy500, and won the 24h of Le Mans.

This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sárközi

Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!

X | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube