Aditya ChaudhuriTwo-time Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso has signed a multi-year deal with Aston Martin, further extending his stay with the British team.
Since joining Aston Martin at the start of 2023, the veteran Spaniard has delivered eight podium finishes for the team, marking their best-ever finish in a Formula One season.
Alonso, who turns 43 this year, started his career in 2001 with Minardi before moving to Renault the year after. He sat out the 2002 season to get a seat for the 2003 season. The gambit paid off as he won back-to-back World Titles in 2005 and 2006, beating Michael Schumacher.
Alonso moved to McLaren for one season in 2007 before returning to Renault for 2008 and 2009. He was signed by Ferrari in 2010 and spent five seasons with them before joining McLaren once again in 2015.
After three struggling seasons with McLaren, Alonso left the sport altogether at the end of 2018 and went on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
After racing in the IndyCar Series, the Dakar Rally, and the FIA World Endurance Championship, Alonso returned to F1 in 2021 with Renault, now in their Alpine guise. After two seasons with the French team, he moved to Aston Martin at the start of 2023.
Speaking about the new deal, Fernando Alonso commented:
“There has been much said and written about my future in Formula One in the past few months, but today I’m delighted to announce that I’m here to stay with Aston Martin Aramco in a multi-year agreement. I said at the start of the year that I would decide if I wanted to continue racing first and then sit down with the team. From the moment I joined the team in 2023 I felt extremely at home. In just over 15 months we have already achieved so much together, with some memorable podiums and battles.
“I am very grateful for the trust Lawrence, Martin and Mike have put in me and with Lance I am excited to see what else we can achieve together. This is only the beginning for this project and I am proud to be part of it. I am at my physical best and still hungry. I will give my all as we continue our journey to becoming a world championship winning team.“
Mike Krack, Team Principal, Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team, added:
“Securing Fernando’s long-term future with Aston Martin Aramco is fantastic news. We have built a strong working relationship over the last 18 months and we share the same determination to see this project succeed. We have been in constant dialogue over the last few months and Fernando has been true to his word: when he decided he wanted to continue racing, he talked to us first. Fernando has shown he believes in us, and we believe in him. Fernando is hungry for success, driving better than ever, is fitter than ever, and is completely dedicated to making Aston Martin Aramco a competitive force. This multi-year agreement with Fernando takes us into 2026 when we begin our works power unit partnership with Honda. We look forward to creating more incredible memories and achieving further success together.“
