Fernando Alonso has been chasing his elusive 33rd victory since 2013. The Spanish driver is the oldest one on the grid, at 44 years old, and has confirmed his presence for 2026 at Aston Martin. However, will he go beyond his current contract, which expires at the end of the 2026 season? Alonso talked about it in an interview posted by his team, Aston Martin, and said that, the better things go with the new car for 2026, the most likely he will retire that same year.
"If things go well, I think it's a very good moment to stop because I've been chasing a competitive car and a competitive racing for many, many years, and if I have that I think it's a very good way to close my career.
"Let's say that if we are competitive, there is more chance that I stop. If we are not competitive, it will be very hard to give up without trying again."
Alonso goes to explain that he will leave the decision for next year, thinking also about what situation is his team in. "It's not about me now. I don't need to keep racing. I'm just here to help Aston Martin become World Champions, whether that's with me behind the wheel or without me behind the wheel, that's the main purpose of this second chapter of my career."
Alonso already retired from Formula 1 in 2018, to pursue other racing disciplines, including winning Le Mans 24 and the World Endurance Championship twice. He returned to F1 in 2021, the same year Aston Martin returned to the competition. He joined Aston Martin in 2023, but the performance of the cars have been worsening year after year. He is now 14th in the Drivers' standings.
Next year, however, with several new regulations in place for engines and chassis affecting all teams, and the expertise of engineer legend Adrian Newey, Alonso sees an opportunity, and feel they have what that it takes to fight for a World Championship.