F1 / NEWS & CONTEXT

Alonso says current F1 cars made decision to stay difficult

Fernando Alonso says his dissatisfaction with the current Formula 1 cars made his decision to stay with Aston Martin for 2027 difficult.

GPBeat · Newsroom01 Oct 2026, 18:39 · 2 min

Fernando Alonso has signed a new deal with Aston Martin, while Lance Stroll’s contract has also been extended, Autosport reported on 29 September. The two drivers will remain the team’s Formula 1 line-up for the 2027 season. The decision keeps the pairing together as Aston Martin tries to improve on a difficult 2026 campaign. After 15 rounds, the team was tenth in the constructors’ standings with three points, all scored by Alonso.

In comments carried by Autosport, Alonso said he believed in what Aston Martin was building. Team owner Lawrence Stroll said improving performance was the immediate priority, with winning the longer-term goal.

Update

Aston Martin has confirmed Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll as its drivers for the 2027 Formula 1 season. Alonso has extended his contract by one year, while El País reports that Stroll has also renewed for a further season. RacingNews365 lists both drivers in its overview of the 2027 grid.

Speaking to AS after the announcement, Alonso said he had not enjoyed driving this year’s cars but wanted to finish the work he had begun at Aston Martin. He also said he did not think 2027 would be his final season in Formula 1 and believed he could continue for several more years. His new deal, however, covers 2027.

El País reports Alonso’s renewal and Stroll’s contract extension, while AS adds Alonso’s account of why he chose to stay. RacingNews365’s wider grid overview already included the Aston Martin pairing; the renewal does not add another driver to its list.

Alonso’s comments leave open the possibility of racing beyond 2027, but Aston Martin’s announcement settles the team’s driver pairing for next season.

Update

Alonso will remain with Aston Martin for the 2027 Formula 1 season. In comments to BBC Sport quoted by RacingNews365 on 1 October, he said the hardest part of that decision was committing to another year when he does not enjoy driving the current cars. Trying to drive them faster can leave a driver going slower, he argued.

He said some shorter circuits had felt better because battery power lasted until the braking point. By contrast, he described Silverstone, Spa and Suzuka as particularly difficult because that power tailed off.

Alonso suggested that adjusting battery deployment might make driving feel more natural in 2027. He said discussions with drivers and teams about improvements gave him hope that he would enjoy it more next season.

Sources 05

SOURCEAston Martin retains Alonso and Stroll for F1 2027Autosport · Source date as found: 2026-09-29
SOURCEComplete F1 2027 confirmed driver line-upsRacingNews365 · Source date as found: 2026-09-29
SOURCEAston Martin anuncia la renovación de Fernando Alonso por una temporada másEl País · Source date as found: 2026-09-29
SOURCEAlonso: “Un año más… y no creo que sea el último”AS · Source date as found: 2026-09-29
SOURCEFernando Alonso names 'hardest thing' in deciding to remain in F1RacingNews365 English · Source date as found: 2026-10-01

Source context

Autosport’s report of 29 September 2026 does not give expiry dates for either driver’s new deal.

RacingNews365’s wider grid overview says 10 drivers are confirmed, although its table names 16 drivers and leaves six seats unfilled.

RacingNews365’s 1 October report quotes Alonso’s comments to BBC Sport.

Claims and supporting evidence 13

Autosport reports that Fernando Alonso has signed a new Aston Martin deal and will continue in 2027. The team has also extended Lance Stroll’s contract; both drivers are staying for the 2027 season.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Aston Martin’s Formula 1 driver lineup Announcement reported on 29 September 2026; 2027 Formula 1 season The exact end dates of the new contracts are not specified. Only Autosport’s article was supplied, so there is no independently read publication to compare.

[1]

Autosport reports that Aston Martin stood tenth in the team standings after 15 rounds of the 2026 season, with three points, all scored by Alonso.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Aston Martin’s competitive position 2026 season, after 15 rounds This is the standing reported in the supplied article, not an independently retrieved standings table.

[1]

In the statements reproduced by Autosport, Alonso expressed belief in what Aston Martin is building, while team owner Lawrence Stroll described winning as the goal and improving performance as the short-term focus. These are their assessments and aims, not measured improvements.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Statements about the team’s prospects Statements reported on 29 September 2026 The original team announcement was not supplied; the statements are available here through Autosport.

[1]

El País and AS report that Fernando Alonso will race for Aston Martin in 2027 following a one-season renewal, with Lance Stroll also in the team's 2027 pairing. RacingNews365 already includes both drivers in its overview. El País and AS report the announcement; the team's original announcement was not separately retrieved.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Aston Martin's 2027 driver pairing Announcement reported on September 29, 2026; 2027 F1 season Agreement across the articles does not independently verify the rest of the grid.

[3][4][2]

El País additionally reports that Stroll renewed for one more season. AS confirms his place in the announced 2027 pairing but does not give that contract detail in the cited passage.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Stroll's contract status September 29, 2026; 2027 F1 season The one-season renewal detail is attributed to El País, not to a separately retrieved team contract.

[3]

In AS's interview with Fernando Alonso, he says he did not enjoy driving the 2026 cars but chose to continue because he wants to finish the work begun at Aston Martin. This is Alonso's explanation, rather than an established forecast of the team's results. AS provides this direct interview perspective; El País instead reports a statement from a team-published video.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Alonso's account of his decision AS interview published September 29, 2026; decision concerning 2027 His assessment of the team's prospects is not an independently measured outcome.

[4][3]

Alonso tells AS he thinks 2027 will not be his final F1 season and believes he could continue for several years. This is an expressed expectation, not a contract confirmation beyond 2027.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Possibility of racing beyond 2027 September 29, 2026; seasons after 2027 No subsequent driving contract is established by the retrieved interview.

[4]

RacingNews365 says both that 10 drivers have secured places and that six seats remain. Its accompanying 22-seat table names 16 drivers and marks six seats TBC, so its stated figure of 10 is inconsistent with its own table. Alonso is already among the named drivers; his renewal cannot be counted as an addition to that table.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. RacingNews365's grid-wide tally RacingNews365 overview dated September 29, 2026; projected 2027 grid The 16-driver figure is a count of entries in RacingNews365's table, not independent confirmation of all those contracts. El País and AS do not supply a complete grid-wide tally.

[2]

RacingNews365 reports that Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion, announced he would stay with Aston Martin for the 2027 Formula 1 season.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Alonso's decision to remain with Aston Martin Announcement reported as Tuesday before the article of 1 October 2026; decision concerns 2027. The announcement is reported by RacingNews365; no original announcement was supplied.

[5]

According to RacingNews365, which quotes an exchange with BBC Sport, Alonso called reconciling his decision to continue with his dissatisfaction with the current driving experience the hardest part of that decision. This is Alonso's assessment, not an independently measured property of the cars.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Alonso's explanation of the difficulty in staying Remarks reported on 1 October 2026 about the 2026 season and his future. BBC Sport's original interview was not supplied; the question and answer are available only through RacingNews365.

[5]

Alonso said some shorter circuits had offered better races from his perspective, while he described Silverstone, Spa and Suzuka as particularly poor because of battery derating. These are his assessments, not independently verified circuit-performance findings.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Alonso's assessment of differing circuits His assessment of races in the 2026 season, reported on 1 October 2026. The article supplies Alonso's remarks but no independent technical data for the named circuits.

[5]

Alonso suggested that battery power might be adjusted for 2027 to make driving feel more natural. He framed this as a possibility, not an agreed rule change.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Possible change to battery deployment Suggestion concerning 2027, reported on 1 October 2026. The retrieved article contains no decision by Formula 1 or its regulator to make this change.

[5]

Alonso said discussions with drivers and teams about improving the sport gave him hope that he would enjoy driving more in 2027. His hoped-for improvement is not an established outcome.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Alonso's stated reason for hope Remarks reported on 1 October 2026; hope concerns 2027. This is Alonso's stated expectation, quoted by RacingNews365; no future improvement is demonstrated.

[5]

Corrections and updates to this story

01 Oct 2026, 18:39

Updated with a material new development verified through a separate News Made Clear newsroom run.

29 Sept 2026, 14:50

Updated with a material new development verified through a separate News Made Clear newsroom run.

This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.