Alonso signs multi-year contract with Aston Martin

After months of considerable speculation around the most experienced driver in the history of Formula One, Fernando Alonso has underlined his commitment to Aston Martin Aramco by signing a new multi-year deal.

Having left Alpine at the end of 2022, Alonso joined Aston Martin at the start of last season. The pair enjoyed a strong start to their collaboration, with Alonso having finished on the podium in six of the opening eight races.

Following this initial successful period, the Silverstone-based outfit was unable to keep up with its rivals in the development race which saw the team slip down in the pecking order. However, Alonso grabbed another podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, having shown great performance in the tough damp conditions.

The Spaniard then endured a difficult period which included two retirements in Texas and Mexico, but he clinched another podium finish in Sao Paulo, having beat the quicker Red Bull of Sergio Perez with brilliant defending tactics. The two-time champion ended the year fourth in the Drivers' Championship, having collected a total of 206 points.

While the 2023 F1 car of Aston Martin excelled in race trim thanks to impressive tyre management, the AMR24 appears to be the opposite of its predecessor as it delivers eye-catching one-lap pace in low-fuel configuration, but lacks race pace. The issues with tyre management has seen Alonso suffer from high tyre degradation in races, which meant that he has failed to finish higher than P5 so far this season.

Expanding on his new contract, Alonso said: "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."

Team Principal Mike Krack commented: "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."