Fernando Alonso contract renewed will continue to race in Formula 1 with Aston Martin next season after the team announced that the two-time world champion has signed a fresh deal to keep him onboard into 2026 and the sport’s next regulatory cycle.
The 42-year-old Spaniard is in his second season at Aston Martin, which announced the extension on Thursday as a “multiyear” deal.
Alonso joined Aston Martin from Alpine to replace Sebastian Vettel, who retired.
Fernando Alonso contract extended
Alonso, who was out of contract at the end of this season, has a new deal that will extend until at least the end of 2026, Aston Martin said.
It means Alonso will be driving in F1 at least until he is 45, and possibly beyond.
Alonso’s new contract with Aston Martin will see him continue to race until at least 2026 but, even once he hangs up his helmet, the Spaniard will be committing his future to the Silverstone-based squad.
Speaking to assembled media, following the announcement “I am at my physical best and still hungry. I will give my all as we continue our journey to becoming a world championship winning team,” Alonso said in the announcement.
Alonso said his negotiations with Aston Martin made it clear that he wanted a “lifetime project”.
Alonso made the move to Aston Martin from Alpine for 2023 and the two parties enjoyed a strong start to their partnership by bagging six podium finishes across the first eight races of last year’s campaign.
Highlights included P2 finishes in Monaco, Canada and the Netherlands, as the Spaniard helped the team rise from seventh to fifth in the constructors’ standings under team owner Lawrence Stroll’s push to turn Aston Martin into a title-contending force.
Amid relatively stable regulations, and a converging field, Aston Martin have experienced a solid but unspectacular start to the 2024 season, remaining in fifth position behind Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes with a series of top-10 finishes.
Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack said of the announcement: “Securing Fernando’s long-term future with Aston Martin Aramco is fantastic news. We have built a strong working relationship over the last 18 months and we share the same determination to see this project succeed.
“We have been in constant dialogue over the last few months and Fernando has been true to his word: when he decided he wanted to continue racing, he talked to us first. Fernando has shown he believes in us, and we believe in him.
“Fernando is hungry for success, driving better than ever, is fitter than ever, and is completely dedicated to making Aston Martin Aramco a competitive force.
“This multi-year agreement with Fernando takes us into 2026 when we begin our works power unit partnership with Honda. We look forward to creating more incredible memories and achieving further success together.”
The driver market is in flux this season following Lewis Hamilton‘s move from Mercedes to Ferrari for 2025 and amid unrest at Red Bull, because of the controversy over allegations about team principal Christian Horner’s behaviour towards a female employee. Horner has denied any wrongdoing.
Alonso was of interest to both teams, so choosing to stay at Aston Martin is a big vote of confidence in the team as they seek to move towards the front of the grid.
It also buries claims that Honda’s role with Aston could be a problem for Alonso, who upset the Japanese manufacturer with some public complaints about their engine when they were working together at McLaren from 2015-17.
Aston Martin sit fifth in the constructors’ standings after the opening four rounds of 2024, behind Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and leaders Red Bull.