Fernando Alonso will race for Aston Martin in the 2027 Formula 1 season after signing a new contract, ending months of uncertainty about whether he would continue in the sport. The team also confirmed that Lance Stroll will remain alongside him. Alonso, 45, said his continued belief in his ability and his enjoyment of racing were central to the decision, despite a difficult season for Aston Martin and his criticism of F1’s 2026 technical regulations.

The announcement came on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Alonso’s previous contract was due to expire at the end of the 2026 campaign. He will remain with Aston Martin for a fifth season, having joined from Alpine before the 2023 season in a move that surprised the paddock. The Spaniard is Formula 1’s most experienced driver and a two-time world champion, with 32 race victories.

“I took my time to make this decision,” Alonso said, “but racing is my life, my passion, and I know I still have the speed and determination to compete at the highest level.” He said he was “very happy” to sign and added that he was committed to the team over the long term and to helping it succeed. Alonso said he believed in what Aston Martin was building, citing its leadership, people, partners and facilities, and said he looked forward to making more memories in front of fans whose energy creates an atmosphere that inspires him and makes the sport special.

In an interview with BBC Sport, Alonso said the clearest reason to keep racing was that he still felt fast. “First, this is my life,” he said. “I have this in my blood and I keep racing and I keep enjoying and this is a way of life, in a way.” He said he retained confidence that he had something extra and that stepping away from driving did not feel right while he believed he was as fast as anyone.

Alonso made his F1 debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix, before eight of the drivers currently on the grid were born. His career has included two drivers’ championships, with the second won 20 years ago while he was with Renault. He said he still assessed his performance by watching other drivers in practice, including when they brake late, lock their front tyres or make mistakes. Even if he finishes 18th, he said, he can feel satisfaction and pride if he believes he is driving well.

He said he would be content to watch races from home once he felt he had lost ability, speed or reflexes. For now, he said, he still thinks he is better than some of the other drivers and cannot stop racing while he feels that way. Alonso said he had only had a few opportunities this year to demonstrate his pace. At the Dutch Grand Prix, he finished ninth and held off the faster cars of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda in the final stint.

Alonso said a strong result is what makes the public notice a driver. “You only prove to people when you are in the podium or you are on TV,” he said. He described himself as at peace with a period in which he feels anonymous, adding that Aston Martin is preparing for a “moment of truth” that will surprise people again. His most recent F1 podium came at the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The decision followed a season in which Alonso weighed his own motivation against the new hybrid rules and Aston Martin’s competitiveness. The 2026 engines have close to an even split between combustion and electrical power. Drivers have complained that the cars can run short of energy well before some corners, a process called derating, and that charging the batteries has reduced the challenge of some demanding turns.

Alonso, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have been among the most vocal critics of the rules. Alonso has called F1 the “battery world championship,” described fast corners as “the charging station for the car,” and said “the chef could drive the car” through a Bahrain corner that had previously been difficult. He has also called overtaking caused by different energy levels between cars “avoidance actions.”

Asked how he reconciled those criticisms with staying in the sport, Alonso said it had been the hardest part of the decision. He hopes changes to the power balance, moving to a 60-40 split in two stages by 2028, will make the cars easier to drive. He said some shorter circuits, where the battery lasts until the braking point, are changing how the driving feels, while Silverstone, Spa and Suzuka had been difficult because of derating.

Alonso said F1 might adjust battery power next year so that less energy is used over longer periods. He argued that reaching top speed in the middle of a straight conflicts with a driver’s instinct to brake late and apply power earlier. In his view, driving the cars quickly can require going slower, which is not how the sport should work. As an experienced driver, he said, he feels some responsibility to help F1 make good decisions for the future.

He said it reassured him that the FIA, the sport’s governing body, and F1, its commercial rights holder, were acknowledging concerns, speaking with drivers and teams, and considering changes for future regulations. Alonso also said this gave him hope that driving would be more enjoyable next year. He had previously held meetings with F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem; his lack of a public commitment had also put pressure on F1 over the rules.

Aston Martin’s season has been difficult. After a strong start with six podiums in Alonso’s first eight grands prix for the team and two more later that year, the team was overtaken in development by rivals. Its start to the 2026 rules has been poor, with an uncompetitive Honda engine contributing to its struggles. After 15 rounds, Aston Martin is 10th in the standings with three points, all scored by Alonso, and is ahead only of newcomer Cadillac.

A major car update introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix cut about two seconds from lap times and offered hope for next season. The team’s work with design figure Adrian Newey also influenced Alonso. Newey became managing technical partner in March 2025, and his arrival delayed work on the 2026 car, contributing to a sequence of problems behind its performance. Alonso had waited throughout his career to work with Newey, who has won 14 drivers’ championships and 12 constructors’ championships as a designer.

“This team has all the ingredients to have success in the future,” Alonso said. “I didn’t feel that this was the moment to leave. It was the moment to keep on going, giving a second chance to Honda as well to fix their problems as well and stay together with the team.” He called Newey the biggest contributor to his decision, said the work had not started well this year but was moving in the right direction, and said Newey could change things quickly.

Alonso described Aston Martin as his family and said he had known owner Lawrence Stroll and team-mate Lance Stroll for many years. He said they had open conversations about many topics every week and would continue doing so next year. Alonso also said living through Honda’s current problems had been difficult, recalling his time with McLaren from 2015 to 2017. Honda’s engine upgrade, introduced at the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August, had not been especially convincing, but Alonso said internal changes at the company made sense and that he had faith, while acknowledging there was no guarantee the engine would be fully fixed next year.

Aston Martin has extended Lance Stroll’s contract as well. The Canadian, son of team owner Lawrence Stroll, joined from Williams and is set for his ninth season with the Silverstone-based team. “I’m very happy to continue with Aston Martin for the long term,” Stroll said. He said he had been on the journey from the beginning and believed the team had the resources and people needed to become a winner. He cited the work taking place at Silverstone, progress across departments and the determination of staff as motivation, and said his commitment to the team’s goals was stronger than ever.

Lawrence Stroll said Alonso and his son had been crucial to the team’s journey and that he was pleased they would continue into its next chapter. “Having two drivers with their level of experience, commitment and knowledge provides tremendous value to the whole organisation,” he said. The team owner said Aston Martin was there to win and that its short-term priority remained improving performance, while he believed it had the world-class talent needed to achieve its longer-term aims.

Alonso said becoming a father had not changed his decision. His partner, Spanish television presenter Melissa Jimenez, gave birth to their son, Leonard, in March. Alonso said he had initially considered whether a demanding calendar would be best for his family, but concluded it was not a key factor. At six months old, his son had found travel difficult this year; Alonso expects him to attend half of next year’s races or more and said travelling around the world together could be a privilege.

“Racing next year, it was my natural, final decision,” Alonso said. He added that he would race in any car even after leaving Formula 1, because the sport remained in his blood. “One more year made all the sense in the world for now.” He also suggested he might stay beyond 2027, saying he could see it being more than one year but felt no pressure to decide that now.

Based on reporting by BBC Sport, Autosport and RaceFans.