Fernando Alonso bid an emotional farewell to his Barcelona grandstand on Thursday, telling the drivers’ press conference that this year’s Spanish Grand Prix would almost certainly be his last as an active Formula 1 competitor.
Sources close to TJ13 within the Aston Martin factory say that the members within the Silverstone base expect Alonso to retire at the end of the season, a belief that is becoming increasingly likely inside Silverstone. Whether Alonso himself is ready to say so publicly is another matter entirely.
The Goodbye That Wasn’t Meant to Sound Like One
What began as an observation at a press conference became something far more significant.
When asked about racing at his home circuit, Alonso paused, then told the assembled media that this could well be his last Barcelona Grand Prix. A moment later, he corrected himself, not to backtrack, but to elaborate.
It would be his last.
The detail that landed hardest came next: 10,000 of his supporters would fill the grandstand bearing his name, Alonso Land, for what amounted to a personal farewell from a driver who had spent two decades reshaping the world’s perception of Spanish motorsport.
He said that the anchor memory for him is 2006, the year he won here at the wheel of a Renault, already a world champion and still at the absolute peak of his powers. That victory belongs to a different era of Formula 1, and yet Alonso has somehow still been here, racing and extracting pace from machinery that rarely deserves his talent.
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What the Team Already Knows
TJ13 understands from sources at the Aston Martin that the internal picture is clearer than Alonso’s public statements suggest.
Although the two-time world champion has carefully avoided making any formal declaration and reiterated on Thursday that he still does not know what he will do in 2027 or 2028, the team’s operational planning is proceeding on the working assumption that he will leave, at least as a driver, at the end of the year.
“The team management is likely preparing,” one source confirmed to TJ13.
“Nobody is saying it loudly, but internally the assumption is that Fernando will be done at the end of this year.”
No official confirmation has been made, and Alonso retains the right to surprise everyone. However, the gap between his public ambiguity and the private expectations within the Aston Martin camp is narrowing by the week.
Alonso himself gave the game away, even as he hedged his bets.
“I’m approaching every major race this year as if it were potentially the last of my career,” he told the press conference.
“The last Australia, the last Monaco. I’ll decide what to do with my future this summer. I’m at peace with everything I’ve done in F1, whatever happens.”
This is not the language of a man eager to extend his contract. It is the language of a man preparing to close a chapter on his own terms.
What is at stake, for him and for the team?
For Aston Martin, the consequences are immediate. The team is still in a difficult transitional period as we head towards 2026, and the new regulations demand a significant improvement in performance that the Silverstone outfit has yet to demonstrate that it can deliver.
Alonso has been the project’s most visible asset — its marketing engine, its benchmark and, on his best days, the driver who can score points that the car arguably shouldn’t be able to.
Losing him means more than just losing a driver. It removes a brand. Whoever replaces Alonso, the names being considered represent a very different proposition, will face the uncomfortable reality of being measured against one of the sport’s most decorated figures on his farewell lap.
Alonso has won two world championships, won 32 Grands Prix across his career and returned from a lengthy sabbatical to compete for podiums in middle age. He will not be defined by how he finishes, but Barcelona matters.
It is his country, his grandstand and his crowd. If this is to be the last time that many thousands of Spanish fans cheer him on, he will want the weekend to be significant.
McLaren eye Alonso for a surprise return to Woking
Fernando Alonso’s unique position in motorsport history has drawn praise from his former McLaren teammate, Jenson Button. Writing in “Jenson’s Journal” on the Aston Martin F1 website, the 2009 World Champion backed the Spaniard as the most logical candidate to match Graham Hill’s legacy as the only driver ever to complete motorsport’s Triple Crown.
“The Monaco Grand Prix is part of the motorsport Triple Crown alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indy 500. I’ve completed one leg but I don’t envisage getting all three,” Button wrote.
“Fernando probably has the best shot of anyone at completing the Triple Crown because he’s already won Monaco and Le Mans, and he’s come close at Indy, having led there. If he wants another go at it, he absolutely has a chance.”
While Fernando Alonso currently drives for Aston Martin, his chance to match Graham Hill’s achievements could come in a McLaren, for whom he raced alongside Jenson Button.
Ahead of the Indy 500 race a couple of weeks ago, Zak Brown attended the grand opening of the new McLaren Racing Center on Wednesday in Indianapolis.
He made it abundantly clear that the door at Arrow McLaren (the IndyCar racing outfit) remains wide open for Alonso should he ever choose to return to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”.
The Summer Decision and What Happens Next
Alonso said the decision will be made this summer. That timeline is significant in itself. The 2026 driver market is moving quickly, and teams exploring their options cannot wait indefinitely for him to make up his mind.
If he is to retire, an announcement before the summer break would give Aston Martin time to make a clean break. A later declaration could complicate matters for everyone involved.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Craig.J. Alderson is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Craig oversees newsroom operations and coordinates editorial output across the site. With a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing, he plays a key role in maintaining consistency, speed, and accuracy in TJ13’s coverage.
During race weekends, Craig acts as desk lead, directing contributors, prioritising breaking stories, and ensuring timely publication across a fast-moving news cycle.
Craig’s work focuses heavily on real-time developments in the paddock, including team updates, regulatory decisions, and emerging controversies. This role requires a detailed understanding of Formula 1’s operational flow, from practice sessions through to race-day strategy and post-race fallout.
With experience managing editorial teams, Craig ensures that TJ13 delivers structured, reliable coverage while maintaining the site’s distinctive voice.
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Aaah – such a WONDERFULLY talented driver, and what a HUGE hole his departure will leave in F1. But maybe the pull of a new baby has some influence on the decision he will make?
He will be sorely missed