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Adrian Newey has expressed confidence that Fernando Alonso will remain at Aston Martin for 2026, describing the two-time world champion as invaluable to the Silverstone team. The design legend expects the partnership to continue despite Alonso's contract expiring at the end of this season, though the Spaniard's hesitation centres not on the team's competitiveness but on whether Formula 1 itself still delivers the thrill that has sustained his three-decade career.
Alonso, now 45, has indicated he will decide his future after the summer break. The question is not whether Aston Martin can deliver, he has made clear, but whether the sport continues to provide the adrenaline and satisfaction that once defined his relationship with racing. That distinction matters, particularly for a team that has endured a difficult start to 2025 but now sees progress from major upgrades introduced in Hungary.
Aston Martin's recovery and Newey's conviction
Aston Martin's season began poorly. The AMR26 and the new Honda power unit proved troublesome, leaving both Alonso and Lance Stroll struggling in the opening rounds. The Hungarian Grand Prix marked a turning point, with significant updates enabling Alonso to reach Q2 for the first time this year. The improvement has been modest but measurable, and it underpins Newey's belief that the trajectory is sound.
"Fernando is an exceptional driver," Newey said. "He delivers enormous value to the team, both with his feedback and his speed on track. That's why we want to keep him. I have every confidence that he's happy here and that we will continue our collaboration."
Newey's assessment reflects the tangible contribution Alonso makes beyond lap times. His engineering insight, honed across stints with Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and now Aston Martin, has become a cornerstone of the team's development process. Losing that input mid-project, particularly as Newey's design philosophy takes hold, would be a setback Aston Martin is keen to avoid.
Alonso's doubt lies elsewhere
Alonso himself has repeatedly affirmed his faith in the team. He trusts Newey to deliver a championship-contending car and believes Honda will resolve the power unit issues that have hampered the opening phase of the season. His physical condition and motivation remain intact. What he questions is the sport itself.
"I don't doubt for a moment that Adrian will give us the best car on the grid sooner or later," Alonso said. "Honda will get the problems sorted, I'm convinced of that. I still feel fit, motivated and fast enough to continue. But I also need to keep enjoying the racing."
The diminishing sense of adrenaline from the cockpit has become the central issue. Alonso described the feeling of driving a modern Formula 1 car as fundamentally different from the era in which he built his reputation. The thrill that once fuelled his commitment has dulled, a shift he attributes not to age or performance but to the nature of contemporary machinery and competition.
A decision shaped by emotion, not ambition
"From the cockpit, Formula 1 feels different than it used to," Alonso explained. "The adrenaline I felt for years has diminished, and that's something I need to think carefully about. It has nothing to do with Aston Martin's performance, but everything to do with whether Formula 1 still gives me the feeling I've stayed racing for all these years."
The distinction is significant. Alonso is not wavering because Aston Martin has underperformed; he is weighing whether the sport itself justifies the commitment. For a driver who has raced in F1 across four decades, that internal reckoning carries more weight than any contractual negotiation. Newey's optimism suggests Aston Martin believes the answer will ultimately be yes, but Alonso's post-summer decision will reveal whether the sport can still hold one of its most enduring competitors.
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