F1 Japanese Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso absent as Aston Martin issue statement

Fernando Alonso in Shanghai — Photo: © IMAGO

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Aston Martin issue statement as Fernando Alonso absent at Japanese GP

'Personal family reasons' were cited

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Wednesday 25 March 2026 10:17 Updated: 12:18

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Aston Martin F1 team have confirmed in an official statement that Fernando Alonso's arrival at the Japanese Grand Prix will be delayed.

The Spaniard will miss Thursday's media day, with team-mate Lance Stroll taking part in the FIA press conferences ahead of Honda chief Koji Watanabe.

"Fernando is arriving slightly later this weekend for personal family reasons and won’t be attending media day at the Japanese Grand Prix," a statement from the team said.

"All is well and he will be at the track in time for Friday."

It is widely believed that Alonso's absence is due to the birth of his first child, with partner Melissa Jimenez. The Spaniard revealed that he and his partner would become parents last year, with the due date expected to clash with the Japanese GP.

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Will Alonso race at Japanese Grand Prix?

Yes, Alonso is still expected to race at this weekend's Japanese GP, although he will sit out Friday's first free practice session.

Instead, third driver Jak Crawford will take part in FP1 as one of the four mandatory sessions for a rookie driver must be installed in an F1 car.

Another challenging weekend awaits Aston Martin and Alonso who, under the scrutiny of Honda's home Japanese crowd, will be desperate to see improvements in the AMR26.

Alonso and Stroll are yet to complete a full grand prix distance due to vibrations emitting from the Honda engine, with the sensation causing extreme discomfort for both drivers that renders it impossible to manage a full race.