The speculations surrounding Fernando Alonso’s future finally settled after the two-time world champion extended his deal with Aston Martin recently. A few days after Alonso signed a new deal, Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has admitted that the Spaniard was always doubtful about extending his stay at Silverstone.
“He [Alonso] was not sure if he was going to continue racing. That was a doubt,” informed Krack to PitDebrief, as per Junaid Samodien on X.
Krack then added that he was never concerned about Alonso potentially signing for another team. The 52-year-old stated that he trusted Alonso completely when the Spaniard said that he needed more time to decide if he wanted to stay in F1 for longer or not.
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) April 11, 2024
Since Alonso has performed brilliantly for Aston Martin, it was vital for the team that he extended his stay. However, since Alonso took a while before signing a new contract with the team, there were speculations that he may move to Red Bull or Mercedes.
What’s next for Fernando Alonso?
With Fernando Alonso extending his deal with Aston Martin, it shows the confidence that the Spaniard has in his team to develop a strong car in the future. The 42-year-old’s latest extension means that he will stay at Silverstone until the end of the 2026 season, a year in which F1’s introduction of new regulations could change the pecking order.
Fastest lap of the race… it could only be Fernando.
Whilst on the charge, @alo_oficial secured an extra point for the team with his blistering laptime.#ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/EmdI38w616
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) April 21, 2024
With Aston Martin set to collaborate with Honda from the 2026 season onwards, Alonso will hope that the team can produce a quick car that can help him register wins and perhaps even fight for the championship. When Alonso signed his extension, he made it clear that he will do everything in his potential to help Aston Martin fight for the title.
Now, it remains to be seen if Alonso’s hope of winning his elusive third championship comes to fruition or not.