Last month, Aston Martin confirmed that Fernando Alonso had signed a new multi-year deal with the team. In a significant boost for the British outfit, the two-time world champion is staying put.
Alonso’s previous deal was due to expire at the end of the season. He did explore a possible move away, with his manager Flavio Briatore holding extensive talks with Toto Wolff.
Wolff and Mercedes are searching for a replacement for the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton. But clearly, he didn’t make an acceptable offer to the Spaniard.
Instead, Alonso has committed his future to a team with lofty ambitions. They’re forming an exclusive engine partnership with Honda for 2026, and Lawrence Stroll wants Adrian Newey designing his cars.
Despite that, there’s a degree of uncertainty over the future of his son Lance. The 25-year-old is out of contract at the end of the year and there’s no indication yet that an extension is imminent.
Of course, the major caveat here is that his father owns the team, which means his position should be safe. But there have been murmurs of Stroll senior considering a sale, and the three-time podium finisher must also have an active desire to keep racing.
What Yuki Tsunoda has said about joining Aston Martin
Speaking to F1TV in the paddock ahead of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, RB driver Yuki Tsunoda was open about the possibility of joining the Silverstone outfit for 2026. Tsunoda has the backing of Honda, and their Aston Martin partnership could work in his favour.
The £15k-a-week driver (via Spotrac) has been one of the standouts on the grid so far this year. He’s scored all seven of his team’s points and out-performed a multiple-race-winner in Daniel Ricciardo.
As it stands, Red Bull have control over his destiny given that he races for their junior team. But they don’t seem especially ‘bothered’ by his starring displays.
And with Liam Lawson waiting in the wings, they might be willing to release him if they receive the right offer. Still, Tsunoda will of course be reliant on Stroll moving on.
“Honda is keen to support me [from] 2026 onward, so [there’s] a high chance they want me to be at Aston Martin,” he said. “But a seat needs to be available at Aston Martin – otherwise, there’s no chance. If not, I will have think of a different solution.”
Will Lance Stroll stay at Aston Martin?
On performance terms alone, you could argue that Stroll doesn’t merit a seat at Aston Martin. Since Alonso joined the team at the start of last year, he’s out-scored him by 237 points to 83.
But the Canadian is in an enviable position with his father at the helm. Still, despite his team’s evident ambition, he doesn’t seem overly enthused by the prospect of staying put.
Speaking at the last race in China, he simply said ‘time will tell’ when asked whether he’d pen an extension. Team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa has pleaded with him to continue.
There have been suggestions that Stroll could pursue a different racing series given Aston’s involvement in sportscars. But there are also questions around his level of hunger and his comfort with his media obligations.
It must have been dispiriting for Stroll to see Alonso beat him so comprehensively in recent times. The likelihood remains that he stays where he is, but Tsunoda is seemingly ready to step in if not.
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