Fernando Alonso’s Son Just Put a Ticking Clock on The Champion’s F1 Career

TL;DR

Fernando Alonso's future in F1 is uncertain as he considers retirement after 2026, influenced by the birth of his son. He acknowledges that fatherhood has changed his priorities regarding racing.

Key points

Fernando Alonso is considering retirement after the 2026 season.
Fatherhood has changed Alonso's perspective on his racing career.
Alonso wants his son to see him race but is unsure about racing for several more years.
Aston Martin is struggling in the 2026 F1 season.

Mentioned in this story

Fernando Alonso

Aston Martin

Could this really be the last time we see Fernando Alonso behind the wheel? A month back, we had talked about thepossibility of Alonso finally calling it quits after the end of F1 2026. And you can’t really blame him. The oldest driver on the grid, plus add that to the already troubling start of Aston Martin’s 2026 campaign, and you get the perfect paddock retirement speech situation.

However, the Spaniard had other plans. Fernando Alonso went on to explain that walking away from the grid will be “a very hard decision and difficult to accept.” While that might put fans at ease, we would rather suggest not getting too comfortable with the situation. Because here is the thing. Being 44 and welcoming your new son does change the dynamic a bit.

The two-time world champion is in the final year of his current deal. Many expected him to sign an extension for 2027 easily. However, he just admitted to the Spanish media that fatherhood has completely shifted his priorities. As reported by PlanetF1, Alonso explained that “I have some thoughts, I cannot lie. It does change the way you see life.”

While he does want his son to watch him race. Spending another half-decade on the grid just to make it happen doesn’t make much sense. “I want to race so he sees me racing. But until he is aware of things, maybe it’s a couple of years, and I don’t want to race four or five years again,” the Spaniard clarified.

Brutal Reality of the AMR26

And this life-changing milestone couldn’t come at a worse time for Aston Martin. Lawrence Stroll needs to convince his star driver to stay away from his new family for 24 race weekends a year. To do that, the team has to provide a winning car. Right now, the Silverstone squad is completely failing to deliver.

The AMR26 chassis is a massive disappointment. Instead of fighting for podiums, Alonso is currently wrestling with a flawed car in the midfield. Severe engine vibrations and shakes so violent that it makes Alonso’s hands go numb are not a good sign.