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Fernando Alonso says he remains motivated and competitive, raising the prospect of extending his Formula 1 career beyond 2026.
Fernando Alonso has signalled he may continue in Formula 1 beyond next season, saying he still feels competitive and has no immediate desire to step away from racing.
The two-time world champion, now 44, is out of contract at the end of this year but indicated at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix that 2026 would hopefully not be his final campaign in Formula 1.
It marks a shift in tone from Alonso, who had previously said he would review his future during the current season and approach 2026 as though it might be his last year on the grid.
Alonso explained that racing remains central to his life, noting he has spent more than four decades behind the wheel since starting as a child. He said he still feels motivated, enjoys driving and has not sensed that the time to stop has arrived.
His comments come during a difficult season for Aston Martin, which began the year with optimism after becoming a works engine partner with Honda and bringing in renowned designer Adrian Newey in March last year.
Instead, Aston Martin's campaign has been hampered by a lack of pace and persistent reliability problems.
Honda's power unit has drawn criticism because of vibration issues that have contributed to failures and discomfort for drivers. However, it has since emerged that more than half of the team's performance deficit is linked to chassis shortcomings rather than engine output alone.
Newey has acknowledged the team's development programme was compromised by his late arrival and ongoing wind tunnel issues, leaving Aston Martin several months behind rivals in research and development.
He remains confident the chassis gap can be reduced during the season, while Honda is expected to receive additional development and upgrade opportunities under Formula 1's 2026 power-unit regulations, designed to help manufacturers close competitive deficits.
With limited top-level replacement options available and little appeal in ending his career amid a difficult campaign, Alonso appears increasingly open to extending his stay, with hopes Aston Martin can deliver a more competitive car in 2027.