Is Alonso shaping up for a non-racing F1 role after 2026?

Fernando Alonso’s recent contract extension with Aston Martin might signal the end of his active racing days post-2026, potentially affecting his long-standing colleague, Pedro de la Rosa.

Alonso, aged 42, has inked what he describes as “the longest contract” of his Formula 1 career with Aston Martin, despite reportedly securing a racing position only until the end of 2026.

During a conversation in Shanghai, de la Rosa, currently 53 and serving as an ambassador for Aston Martin, humorously addressed his own future with the team in light of Alonso’s contract. “I made the joke this week that when Fernando Alonso is in, Pedro will be out,” he chuckled. “Well, if it really is for Fernando to stay in the team, then I’m leaving.”

The notion that Alonso may switch to a non-racing role within the team was hinted at by de la Rosa, although he did not specify a timeline. “Fernando has signed such a long-term contract, two years of competing at first, that I don’t see an expiration date for him,” he explained.

Commentator Antonio Lobato from DAZN also speculated on Alonso’s future role. “Fernando has never hidden the possibility of staying in a more technical role behind the wall to help the team or as a consultant for Aston Martin,” Lobato mentioned. “It may be an even longer relationship than we think.”

By 2026, Alonso will mark his 23rd season in Formula 1, reaching the age of 45. “In a sport as difficult as this one, where the level of demand is extreme and where there are only 20 places, staying there for so long and that you are still such a player in the transfer market is amazing,” observed Lobato, acknowledging Alonso’s enduring presence and influence in the sport.

GMM

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