Fernando Alonso F1 News: EVERYONE is backing him for 2026 title, even THIS rival boss

Fernando Alonso looks at the F1 trophy to a background of fireworks — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Legends

Everyone is backing Fernando Alonso for 2026 title, even THIS rival boss

Fernando Alonso could make real progress in 2026

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 26 January 2026 15:59

A rival F1 boss has suggested that he wants Fernando Alonso to win the world championship, if his team cannot win.

Alonso is now 44 years of age, and is heading into his 23rd season in the sport. He is a two-time world champion, but the last of those titles came all the way back in 2006.

The Spaniard holds the all-time record for the most amount of grand prix starts with 425, and he has won 32 of those.

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However, Alonso has not won a race since the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix, and he has rarely got close to a race victory since then.

He secured eight podiums in 2023 when he first joined Aston Martin and it looked as though he may banish that winless streak, but his last two seasons with the team have been disappointing.

The team have been struggling in the midfield, and Alonso has not added any more podiums to his tally despite outperforming team-mate Lance Stroll.

Heading into 2026, however, there is optimism that Alonso and Aston Martin might be challenging higher up the grid due to wholesale regulation changes that are sweeping into the sport.

And Alonso's former boss Flavio Briatore - who is now executive advisor at Alonso's former Alpine team - has issued his best wishes to Alonso.

Briatore was asked by Mundo Deportivo if his driver Franco Colapinto has displayed signs of a young Alonso, to which the Italian responded: "Young Fernando was a phenomenon. We talk about Senna, we talk about Schumacher, we talk about Alonso. And now we talk about Verstappen. It's too early to say that young, and now old Alonso is good enough."

Briatore was then asked about Alonso's 2026 chances, to which he replied: "If we don't win, then Alonso should win, 100%."

Can Alonso win another race?

Alonso may face a dilemma at the end of the 2026 season as to whether to retire or not, with his current contract set to expire.

The 44-year-old has already claimed that he will retire if Aston Martin give him a car capable of challenging for podiums and race wins in 2026, but if they're still in the midfield, then he may stick around a little longer.

Aston Martin are hoping to be a championship-challenging outfit in a few years, and they have recently added the services of design legend Adrian Newey and former Ferrari star Enrico Cardile.

On top of this, they have a new engine partnership with Honda starting in 2026, the manufacturer who have shared so much success with Red Bull over the past few years.

Alonso will be hoping that the improvements in the Silverstone-based outfit's performance will come sooner rather than later.

F1 Aston Martin Fernando Alonso Flavio Briatore