Will Fernando Alonso become Max Verstappen's team-mate?

Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, Red Bull, Aston Martin, Canada, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Will Fernando Alonso become Max Verstappen's team-mate?

Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso would make for a formidable duo

By Sam Cook.

Sunday 21 June 2026 23:02

Two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso has hinted that he could have four-time champion Max Verstappen as his team-mate in the future.

Alonso is now 44 years of age, and is only contracted at Aston Martin until the end of this season. His team have provided him with poor machinery this year, and he is struggling to even finish races, having picked up just one point from the opening seven race weekends.

Therefore, the Spaniard is beginning to think about the future. He's undecided about whether or not he will stick around in F1 for another year, but it does seem as though he wants to continue in some form of racing.

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Alonso has suggested that a run at a different racing series could be the way forward, even hinting that he and Verstappen could team up for a joint entry into the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

Alonso has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, taking consecutive victories in 2018 and 2019. In both instances, he drove the No. 8 Toyota TS050 Hybrid for Toyota Gazoo Racing alongside teammates Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima.

Alonso talks future plans, including teaming up with Verstappen

“I’d like to do the Dakar, and I’d like to win the Dakar one day because of the challenge itself. The triple crown is also very attractive, but so is the Dakar, because if I managed to win in Formula 1, in endurance racing and in rallying, that would also be something with very few precedents, so I like the challenge.

“But Hypercar as well, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans was a very beautiful experience that I had. And one day, well... maybe I’ll do it again, especially if it’s with Max Verstappen someday.”

Verstappen has also hinted in the past that he and Alonso could do a joint entry into the iconic endurance race, suggesting that he would want him as his team-mate more than '99 per cent of the other drivers'.

Verstappen himself recently raced in an endurance race, the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, and enjoyed his experience, despite the fact that a late mechanical issue stopped him and his team from challenging for a podium.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Aston Martin Fernando Alonso 24 Hours of Le Mans