Fernando Alonso says his 2027 F1 future will depend more on his experience of Formula 1’s 2026 regulations than on Aston Martin’s results this season. With his contract expiring at the end of the championship, the two-time world champion admitted that driving the current cars at circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone is “not what I dream of” for the next stage of his career.
Aston Martin will introduce a highly anticipated upgrade package at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, before Honda brings what the source describes as a “2.0” version of its power unit at Zandvoort. Fernando Alonso believes the Silverstone team has far greater potential than its current performance suggests, but neither the Budapest updates nor the AMR26’s results will determine whether he remains in Formula 1 next season.
Aston Martin searches for answers at the Hungarian Grand Prix
The Hungarian Grand Prix will be significant for several reasons, with particular attention focused on Aston Martin. The Silverstone team has endured an extremely disappointing season so far, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll regularly competing near the back of the field.
Aston Martin will attempt to change its trajectory by introducing its eagerly awaited upgrade package at the Hungaroring. The extensive development work has already created a race against time to complete the Hungarian Grand Prix upgrades, underlining the importance of the weekend to the team’s recovery plans.
The Budapest package will then be followed by an updated Honda power unit at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. The combination of the Honda upgrade and Aston Martin’s revised AMR26 is intended to help the team recover from a difficult opening half of the season.
Aston Martin had hoped to achieve significantly stronger results, particularly after Adrian Newey’s arrival. Instead, the team remains in serious difficulty, while Fernando Alonso has been left disappointed by the disappearance of any realistic opportunity to fight for victories.
Fernando Alonso’s 2027 F1 future depends on the regulations
Fernando Alonso, who will turn 45 next week, also addressed what his Formula 1 future could hold. The two-time world champion’s contract expires at the end of the current season, leaving him with a decision to make over whether to continue racing in 2027.
However, Aston Martin’s results and the true performance potential of the car are not the principal factors making Fernando Alonso question whether to extend his career. Instead, his decision will depend more heavily on the technical regulations introduced this season, which have also faced criticism from other drivers.
Fernando Alonso has repeatedly criticised aspects of the 2026 rules. His experience of the current generation of cars during the remainder of the championship will therefore play a decisive role in determining whether he stays in Formula 1 for another season.
Fernando Alonso explains why Aston Martin’s upgrades will not decide his future
“The upgrades this weekend will not influence my future decision because it will not be based on this year’s performance,” Fernando Alonso told the media. “We started this season on the wrong foot, and I cannot base my decision for next year on performances that are not realistic.
“I do not think this represents the team’s true potential, which I believe is much higher than what we are seeing. I think my decision for next year depends more on the regulations. Driving these cars at circuits like Spa or Silverstone is not what I dream of for my future. So we will see.
“We had high hopes for these regulations and for Adrian’s arrival at the team, Honda and things like that. Expectations were very high and we have not met them, so it was simply disappointing to see the car in Barcelona and Bahrain.
“At the same time, everyone in the team has viewed it as a challenge and they want to succeed. They will come back, and hopefully Budapest will be the first step towards recovering our performance. I think the right direction exists within the team.”
Budapest could provide the first sign of an Aston Martin recovery
Although the Hungarian Grand Prix will not determine Fernando Alonso’s future, it could still offer the first meaningful indication of whether Aston Martin is moving in the right direction. The scale of the planned changes has led to the revised car being described as a radical AMR26 B-spec for the Hungaroring.
Fernando Alonso’s comments make clear that he retains confidence in the people and potential within Aston Martin, despite the disappointment of Barcelona, Bahrain and the season as a whole. However, his verdict on the 2026 regulations may ultimately carry more weight than any immediate improvement delivered by the team’s new components.
The Budapest weekend will be Formula 1’s final event before the summer break. The complete schedule and broadcast information are available in the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix timetable.
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