Fernando Alonso, the oldest driver on the grid, celebrated his 44th birthday in July. Despite his age, he still has a contract with Aston Martin until 2026. The seasoned Spanish driver views the upcoming regulation changes as his ‘last chance’ to compete for podiums, victories, and perhaps even the world title. After that, retirement seems inevitable, even for Alonso.
In an interview with the Spanish Diario AS, Fernando Alonso spoke candidly about his impending retirement. When asked how much he is focusing on the upcoming season, he responded decisively: “Very much so, because I know it’s my last chance at a title. In the past, I saw the changes simply as a change; I hoped it would go well, that my teams would interpret the rules correctly, and that I would have a fast car. But this time it’s different, because this will be the last rule change I experience. That means the last chance to win a race, to get on the podium, and to fight for a championship.”
‘Then 2026 is my last year’
Alonso added that 2026 might not bring the turnaround that Aston Martin needs. “I know I have a better chance of doing well in 2027 or 2028,” he explained. “Then there is stability in the team that we now have with Adrian Newey and all the others. They can do well in the first year, but after that competitiveness is guaranteed. I have to take that into account myself.” Alonso revealed his specific plans for retirement. “If the car performs poorly, I’ll stay another year to end on a positive note,” he said. “But if the car performs well, 2026 is likely my last year.”
“The team is on its way to its best form,” assured the Spanish veteran. “On the circuit, we do our best every weekend. Fatigue is setting in; we all long to close the season and reset. But in the factory, it’s the exact opposite; everything is focused on 2026, and there’s a lot of enthusiasm about Adrian Newey’s new working methods. We are clearly on an upward trend.” Alonso has already retired once before. After 2018, he bid farewell to McLaren, only to return to the Alpine team in 2021.
While Alonso flirts with retirement, Lewis Hamilton – the next oldest driver on the grid – is still ‘too in love’ with Formula 1. French L’Équipe asked the seven-time world champion about the ongoing rumors of his departure. “I have no intention of leaving anytime soon,” he responded with a laugh. “Formula 1 is still the love of my life. I am glad that Fernando is also staying for a while, because that means I’m not the oldest,” he joked. “I’ll stay until he (Alonso) is fifty.”
