Fernando Alonso commits to Aston Martin for 2027 F1 season

Alonso chooses another year with Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso will continue racing in Formula 1 with Aston Martin in 2027 after agreeing to an extended contract with the team. Lance Stroll will remain alongside him, preserving Aston Martin’s unchanged driver line-up for a fifth season.

The deal means Alonso will race beyond his 46th birthday and embark on a record-extending 24th F1 campaign. The Spaniard made his debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix and won consecutive world championships in 2005 and 2006.

‘I still feel as fast as anybody’

Alonso said the central reason for continuing was his belief that he retains the speed and ability to compete at the highest level.

“First, this is my life,” Alonso told BBC Sport. “I have this in my blood and I keep racing and I keep enjoying and this is a way of life.”

He added: “Probably for me the biggest, or the clearest thing to keep racing is I still feel self-confidence that I have something extra. And when I think about stepping down ... I still feel as fast as anybody. So let’s have another go.”

Despite Aston Martin’s difficult 2026 campaign, Alonso said he could not walk away while he still believed he was outperforming rivals when he climbed into the car. His most recent podium came at the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, while a ninth-place finish at the Dutch Grand Prix offered one of his clearest opportunities this season to demonstrate his racecraft.

Aston Martin’s long-term project convinced him

Aston Martin have scored only three points from their first 15 races under Formula 1’s new technical regulations. The team’s first season as Honda’s works partner has also been challenging, while the car’s development was affected by Adrian Newey’s arrival as managing technical partner in March 2025.

Alonso nevertheless believes the team has the foundations to recover. “This team has all the ingredients to have success in the future, and I didn’t feel that this was the moment to leave,” he said. “It was the moment to keep on going, giving a second chance to Honda as well to fix their problems.”

A major update introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix reportedly reduced lap times by around two seconds, giving the team encouragement for 2027. Alonso also pointed to Newey’s influence as a major factor in his decision to stay, saying the design chief was “probably the biggest contributor” to his choice.

Alonso still wants F1 to change its cars

The decision comes despite Alonso’s outspoken criticism of the 2026 regulations. He has described the current cars as part of a “battery world championship”, arguing that energy management and battery charging have reduced the importance of traditional driving skills in fast corners.

“F1 at the moment is not natural driving,” Alonso said. “Reaching the top speed in the middle of the straight, it goes against the driver instinct of braking late and going on power earlier.”

He is encouraged by plans to alter the balance between combustion and electrical power, moving towards a 60-40 split in stages by 2028. The willingness of Formula 1, the FIA and the teams to discuss further changes has helped persuade him that the driving experience can improve.

“I’m very happy to sign a new contract with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team,” Alonso said in the team announcement. “I took my time to make this decision, but racing is my life, my passion, and I know I still have the speed and determination to compete at the highest level.”

He added that he was “committed for the long term with this team and to helping us succeed”, citing Aston Martin’s leadership, personnel, partners and facilities as reasons for his continued faith in the project.