Fernando Alonso admits ‘time will tell’ as ‘difficult’ F1 retirement decision looming

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is out of contract at Aston Martin at the end of the season

Fernando Alonso (Image: Getty)

Fernando Alonso is hoping that 2026 will not be his last season in Formula 1. Alonso signed a multi-year deal with Aston Martin in 2024 that would see him race through to the end of this season.

Alonso, a two-time World Champion, suggested last year that a decision over whether to race beyond this year would depend on how his team’s car performed. However, Aston Martin have endured a disastrous start to the campaign.

However despite that, Alonso has now indicated for the first time that he wants to stay in F1 beyond this season.

“I love what I do. I love racing,” he told the Automobile Club de Monaco. “I did my first race when I was three years [old], and I am 44, so 41 years of my life I have been behind a steering wheel.

“So the moment I have to stop racing, it will be very hard decision and difficult to accept. The time will tell. I will feel it.

“At the moment, I don’t feel it is that time yet. I feel competitive, I feel motivated, I feel happy when I drive. So, yeah, hopefully not the last season.”

Since Lawrence Stroll bought Aston Martin – then known as Force India – in 2018, the Canadian billionaire has spared no expense in attempting to establish another F1 superpower.

Lawrence Stroll at the Japanese Grand Prix (Image: Getty)

They have had a poor start to the current season, though, with a car and engine beset by a lack of performance and poor reliability.

Alonso and team-mate Lance Stroll are yet to register any points so far this season, but speaking last month the Spaniard felt his team were ’embracing the challenge’ posed by their early-season struggles.

He said: “We know where we are. As I said yesterday, we have a big challenge in front of us, but everyone in the team is embracing the challenge in a way and trying everything we can to go out of the situation.

“This is Formula 1 – unfortunately technology is very complex and things require a little bit of time. We are running every day in free practice and every week, Grand Prix to Grand Prix, and maybe we don’t see the progress that we all want to see.

“But there are things happening – smaller or bigger, but there is always progress in the team, so let’s hope that this is visible in lap time as soon as possible.”