Fernando Alonso on Max Verstappen rumors and his long-term future with Aston Martin. Fernando Alonso comments on persistent rumors linking Max Verstappen to Aston Martin.

Rumors about a possible departure of Verstappen from Red Bull have been circulating in the paddock for some time now. These rumors suggest that he might already be in talks with Aston Martin, who recently brought the most successful engineer in Formula 1 history, Adrian Newey, into their fold after a lengthy and hard-fought negotiation.

The rumors, which remain unconfirmed for now, have intensified following the disappointing weekend in Jeddah, where Max Verstappen, despite finishing second behind Oscar Piastri, seemed far from pleased with the result. The recent decline in Red Bull’s performance and the presence of a performance clause in the four-time world champion’s contract suggest that the 27-year-old is seriously considering leaving the Milton Keynes team. One possible destination for Verstappen could be Aston Martin, who currently have Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso under contract. It was Alonso himself, in an interview, who spoke on the Verstappen / Aston Martin situation.

Fernando Alonso’s words:
A potential arrival of Max Verstappen at Aston Martin in 2026 would require the departure of either world champion Fernando Alonso or current teammate Lance Stroll, the son of team owner Lawrence Stroll. However, Alonso assured that he’s not worried about being replaced to make room for Max Verstappen.

“I don’t think that will happen: I have a contract for next year,” Fernando Alonso said in response to the question about whether he sees Verstappen as a threat to his seat. “But I see these rumors as something very positive for the team. As you said, sometimes the world champion is linked to other teams, and usually, the teams mentioned are Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Ferrari. This shows the value of the project we are working on and the future of this team.”

Fernando Alonso renewed his contract with Aston Martin last year, committing to the team for the long term, even taking on a different role within the team once he retires from driving.

“As I said last year when I renewed my contract, I will continue driving as long as I feel fast and competitive and the team needs me behind the wheel,” he explained. “But my contract is much longer than my career as a driver, so I will stay with this team for many, many years in a different role. If that means winning a world championship even when I’m no longer behind the wheel, I will still be very proud of the project.” – the former Ferrari and McLaren driver concluded.