Fernando Alonso has reaffirmed his commitment to Aston Martin, stating that his loyalty to the team extends beyond his driving career, even as speculation linked him with a sensational return to Alpine. The 45-year-old Spaniard, who turns 45 in July, has repeatedly indicated that he will decide later in the season whether 2026 will be his final campaign in Formula 1.
Alpine Rumours Surface in Barcelona
The paddock was abuzz two weeks ago at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona with rumours that Alpine, now led again by Flavio Briatore, was trying to lure Alonso back. Briatore managed Alonso during his championship-winning years at Renault in 2005 and 2006 and remains his manager to this day. The speculation suggested Briatore had asked Alonso if he would leave struggling Aston Martin to race for Alpine next season.
Alonso Dismisses Speculation
Speaking ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Alonso firmly dismissed the Alpine rumours. He said: "There are always rumours, you know, and we've been very badly treated by the outside world. And it's normal. I mean, we are underperforming, we are in a bad moment, and when summer break comes, there are always rumours."
He added: "But, as I said, my commitment with Aston Martin is beyond my driving time."
Commitment Beyond Driving
Alonso emphasised that his dedication to the Aston Martin project remains unchanged, whether or not he continues as a driver. "I'm committed to this team also, so even if I don't race, my commitment with the team and with the project is the same," he explained. "We started this in a way together with some success in 2023. And with a lot of changes in the company and in the campus in Silverstone, now with the partnership with Honda, with Aramco, with the new fuels."
He continued: "There are a lot of things that we built together in a way, and as I said many times, this team has certain guarantees that it will succeed and will fight for world championships. We don't know if that will be next year, in three years' time, or in eight years' time. That's probably my limitation behind the wheel. But I want to win a world championship with Aston Martin, with or without driving, that's still the same commitment in my case."
Belief in the Project
Alonso expressed confidence in Aston Martin's future, citing key personnel and partnerships. "I believe in this project and we have the right people. We have obviously the best of the best with Adrian Newey. We have Honda. We started with the back foot, yes, we understand that, but we are trying to put things in place as soon as possible."
He acknowledged the team's current struggles but remained optimistic: "We are not happy with our position, but we are hard workers, and Honda are hard workers, and Aston Martin... The problems will be fixed, it's a matter of time. I believe in the project, I trust my team, and we are all in this together."
Facing Criticism and Media Scrutiny
Alonso also addressed the criticism the team has faced, noting that being at the back of the grid makes them an easy target. "We are an easy target because we are at the back and there are all these things and jokes on social media, probably that's borderline abuse," he said. "Obviously, we take one of the hardest parts of the situation because we race every week and we face the media every week, and we jump in the car tomorrow, and we are very uncompetitive."
He explained the team's strategic decision to delay upgrades: "Our team and our leaders took the decision in Australia to wait until it was worth making an upgraded package. For cost efficiency and things like that. And we all agree on that. And we are all waiting on that and we wait in the best manner possible."
