Fernando Alonso hints 2026 could be his final F1 season if Aston Martin gets it right next year

Fernando Alonso has confirmed that if Aston Martin is able to build him a competitive car for 2026, then that could be his last year in Formula 1. Discussing his future in an interview with AS.com, the Spaniard revealed what could affect his retirement plans as the series heads into an era of new regulations from next year. 

The two-time champion's 2025 has been a difficult year, littered with DNFs and poor luck that has left him looking to the new regulations in the hope of a fresh start. 

"Very motivating," he said when asked about next year's season. "I know it’s my last chance. That’s the key factor.

"I used to see other rule changes simply as changes, hoping my team would interpret the regulations well and give me a fast car. But this one is different, because it’s the last big change I’ll go through, and the last chance to win another race, enjoy the highs, get on the podium, fight for a title.

"There’s a lot of hope tied to 2026. Even if it’s no bigger or smaller than past rule changes, for me it’s emotionally very important."

2026 will flatten the grid, with each team starting from the bottom as F1 ushers in substantial changes to not only the aerodynamics of the cars, but also their powertrains. Aston Martin is joining forces with Honda for its power unit development, and the success of the season will go a long way in determining Alonso's future. 

"Right now, I don’t have a clear idea. If the car is strong, there’s a good chance it will be my final year," he said, before adding he would rather end on a high. "I know I’d have more chances of doing well in 2027 or 2028, once the group we have now with [Adrian] Newey is fully settled.

"The first year might go well, but by the second or third you can be sure it will. But I need to see for myself. If the car is weak, I might go one more year just to end on a positive note. If the car is strong, 2026 will probably be my last year."

Lawrence Stroll's heavy investment into the team has brought huge infrastructure and personnel improvements. Adrian Newey joined the team in 2025 after leaving a dominant Red Bull, and a new wind tunnel aims to make his job easier when developing his 2026 challenger.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Clive Rose / Getty Images

"The team is moving toward its best period. On track, we’re doing what we can each weekend and yes, there’s some fatigue – we want the season to end so we can reset.

"But in the factory it’s the opposite – everything is focused on 2026, there’s a lot of excitement, and a new way of working under Newey’s guidance. Aston Martin is clearly on an upward path."

This thinking doesn't stem from Alonso giving up or losing the belief he has in his performance. Instead, he wants to end on a high note, as a driver fighting for podiums.

"When I leave Formula 1, I want to leave as I am now – believing I’m the best. And with at least 30 or 40 percent of the outside world still thinking I’m the best. I don’t want to stop because I’ve lost ability. I’ll enjoy next year and take it one season at a time. But yes, I want to leave at the top."

He sits 12th in the drivers' standings with 30 points, two fewer than his team-mate Lance Stroll. But he believes bad luck has kept him from an additional 22 points. 

"It's a shame that we cannot finish the races on merit when we are in the points," he said ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. "And then when we are slow, because we are uncompetitive, normally things are always smooth and nice until the chequered flag and we score no points. But this is the way it is and this is the sport, the nature of the sport. And as long as next year we have a good car, we are in normal luck. We don't ask for good luck, but normal luck is okay."