Fernando Alonso set for watershed moment in F1 career as exit rumours swirl

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso set for watershed moment in F1 career as exit rumours swirl

Will Alonso retire at the end of this year?

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 22 July 2026 21:53

Make us your Google favorite

Fernando Alonso may well quit the Aston Martin F1 team if their upcoming upgrades do not produce a significant step forward in performance, according to reports in Italian media.

The Spaniard is now 44 years of age, and is currently set to be out of contract at the end of this season, leading to suggestions that he could be set to walk away from the sport entirely.

Alonso is a two-time world champion, yet finds himself fighting right at the back of the pack this season as his Aston Martin team have suffered with reliability and performance concerns.

Article continues under video

He has picked up just one world championship point in the first 10 race weekends of the season, and his team face a long journey back to competitiveness.

They are hoping that the first step of that will come this weekend, with some upgrades being planned for the Hungarian Grand Prix, before an almost entirely new 'AMR26B' chassis design drops at the Dutch GP after the summer break.

Design legend Adrian Newey has been working hard on these upgrades, as have Aston Martin's power unit provider Honda, who have been one of the main sources of the team's disappointing start to the season.

Now, Italian publication Auto Racer are reporting that whether or not Alonso signs a new contract with the Silverstone-based outfit will be entirely down to these new upgrades, and how much impact they have on their grid position.

F1 HEADLINES: Red Bull make $3bn decision, Verstappen future takes fresh twist

Alonso: Stay, leave for another team or retire?

Alonso has previously hinted that he will sign a new deal, although only for one more year, saying earlier this year that the Barcelona Grand Prix will be his last in the city (Barcelona is not on the calendar in 2027, but returns in 2028).

However, he is not fully decided, and rumours have linked him with a move to his former team Alpine, who are being stewarded by Flavio Briatore, Alonso's team principal when he won his two championships at Renault in 2005 and 2006.

Reports state that Briatore is keen to have Alonso for his final season in the sport, but a move to the Enstone outfit would be unlikely to bring him the podiums and race victories that he desires.

Aston Martin, on the other hand, have that ambition of becoming a championship-winning outfit in the near future, and still believe in this project, with the likes of Newey, Enrico Cardile and the deep pockets of Lawrence Stroll transforming their processes.

Speaking to media at the Belgian GP last time out, Alonso seemed to suggest that Aston Martin's upgrades are not the be all and end all for his contract decision.

Asked how crucial Aston’s B-spec car would be for his future in F1, Alonso replied: "Nothing, because my decision is not about the performance of this year.

"This year we started on the wrong foot and I cannot base my decision for next year on a performance that is not realistic. I think this is not the true potential of the team. I think it's much higher than what we see.

"I think my decision for next year is more about the rules. Driving these cars in places like Spa today or Silverstone in the last race is not what I'm dreaming of for my future. So, we'll see."

F1 Aston Martin Fernando Alonso