Most laps driven in F1, most starts, entries, and two championships in an almost two-decade-long F1 career. These are just a handful of records Fernando Alonso has achieved and perhaps for a long time to come. The Spaniard is still going strong at the age of 42. He will continue to do so till he turns 45 with his new contract with Aston Martin till 2026. Beyond that, Alonso has confessed that it could be the end of his F1 career.
“I remember it was in 2007, I signed a contract with McLaren for three years after being world champion with Renault and I was 200% sure that it was my last contract. Then in 2018 I thought it was my last season and said ‘goodbye’ to F1. I discovered that, even when I decided to stop, I couldn’t”, he confessed as quoted by Eldesmarque.
However, the #14 driver also added now the time for the final goodbye is close. “I know that soon the time will come again when I say goodbye to F1 one hundred percent and I don’t know exactly what I will do,” he concluded.
Racing regularly since 2001, Alonso, as some might consider him, is a freak of nature. No F1 driver has had the Spaniard’s longevity. When he did retire for the first time in 2018, the two-time champion did not stop racing. In fact, he won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans twice along with the 24 Hours of Daytona and the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Alonso then returned to the circus rejuvenated and with a lot of vigor to win in 2021. Despite his disappointing stint with Alpine, he secured a seat at Aston Martin and was extremely close to adding to his race wins tally at the start of the 2023 season. Even though the Silverstone-based outfit has fallen off track, the 2026 regulations will bring new opportunities.
Fernando Alonso can fulfill his championship dream after the 2026 regulatory changes
The 2026 regulations will work as a great equalizer for the entire grid and the sport. New regulations always make one team better than the rest and who’s to say that can’t be Aston Martin?
The state-of-the-art facility and the wind tunnel along with a team of capable engineers back in Silverstone could do wonders and put them at the front. This is exactly why the Spaniard decided to extend till the end of 2026 to at least experience the new cars in the first year of regulations.
Alonso has already showcased that he still has the pace to keep up with the new generation and fight at the front. His incredible run of podiums at the start of 2023 was proof.
However, it’s his burning desire to add another championship to his legend that keeps him going. Perhaps he could quench his thirst and end his wait before probably bowing out for the last time at the of the 2026 season.
So, if Aston Martin’s engineering team can tackle the new regulations with perfection, the tide might shift in Alonso’s favor. For now, it seems Alonso will be fighting for the bottom half of the points-scoring positions. Unless some massive upgrades in the pipeline can give a much-needed boost to the AMR24.
