Pre-Season Testing

'One more year in hell' for Fernando Alonso as Aston Martin flops - F1 insider

Chris Deeley Saturday 14 February 2026 21:51

Gabriel Bortoleto, Fernando Alonso, Audi, Aston Martin, Bahrain, 2026

With all the talk around the possible retirements of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton if 2026 doesn't go their way, one name in F1 has gone slightly under-discussed.

Fernando Alonso, one of the greatest F1 drivers of the 21st century, is 44 years old, has a contract that expires at the end of the season, and is set for 'another year in hell'.

Not our words, but the words of Spanish F1 commentator Antonio Lobato, passing on what he'd been told by a member of the double world champion's inner circle.

Signs from pre-season testing are that the first ever Adrian Newey-designed Aston Martin F1 car is an absolute dog, with a potentially disastrous Honda engine bolted into a chassis which seems to be paying for its unorthodoxy.

Alonso set for 'suffering'

Speaking with SoyMotor in Bahrain this week, Lobato revealed: “I’ve spoken with someone from Fernando’s circle, and they told me: ‘Another year in hell, another year of suffering’.”

Alonso has been widely expected for some time to retire at the end of this season, at the age of 45. At least on early impressions, it looks like he'll be going out with a whimper rather than a bang. Or maybe a bang, but the bang of a failing Honda engine.

The Andalusian racer has also responded to Max Verstappen's comments about the new style of driving demanded by the 2026 cars, admitting: “I understand Max's comments, because from a driver, you would like to make the difference in the corner, driving those five km/h faster.

“But now you are dictated by how much energy your engine will have on the next straight. But at the same time, this is F1 and has always been like that, now it's the energy. Last year or two years ago, when he won all the races, it was the downforce.

“He could go in the corners at 280 km/h and we could go in the corners at 250 km/h because we didn't have the downforce. At the end of the day, this F1, we close the visor, we go motor racing.”

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen leaves testing early as team boss reveals worrying Red Bull truth

F1 Aston Martin Fernando Alonso