Fernando Alonso en conferencia de prensa en Bahréin — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Fernando Alonso snubbed as F1 rival chosen for 2026 driver role

There will be changes to F1 in 2026

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 29 May 2025 20:57

Fernando Alonso has been bypassed for a 2026 role in favour of fellow Spaniard and Formula 1 rival Carlos Sainz.

Alonso may have over 20 years of experience in F1 and two world titles to his name, but that was not enough to name him track ambassador for the all-new Madrid race that will launch in 2026.

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Madrid will takeover from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the home of the Spanish Grand Prix from next year until 2035, with Sainz named as the track’s ambassador for the race.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of his home race this weekend, Sainz discussed the honour of being named track ambassador the street circuit.

"I'm very excited about Madrid's arrival on the calendar,” he said.

“They chose me as an ambassador for the Grand Prix and it's an honour for me because it's my city, the place where I was born and raised. And then I think the Madrid circuit has all the potential to become a great show, the track will be a lot of fun for us drivers."

Sainz named Madrid GP ambassador: But what about Alonso?

Whilst it makes sense that Sainz - a Madrid native - was named as the Madrid GP ambassador over Alonso, the champion's exclusion still doesn't seem right.

As if the remedy this slight, the 43-year-old delivered some exciting news of his own ahead of this weekend’s Spanish GP, where he was named ambassador for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

However, the circuit’s future remains undecided with Madrid displacing it as the Spanish GP, despite the track’s contract with F1 until the end of 2026.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is yet to announce whether Barcelona will feature on the calendar in 2026, but has stated that Madrid’s debut does not exclude it’s presence on the schedule.

"The fact we are in Madrid is not excluding the fact we could stay in Barcelona for the future," he said at a lavish presentation,” he said according to Reuters.

"Looking ahead, there are discussions in place to see if we can really extend our collaboration with Barcelona, with whom we have a very good relationship, for the future."

Carlos Sainz Fernando Alonso Spanish Grand Prix Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya La Gazzetta dello Sport