The retirement question is off the table. Aston Martin announced on Tuesday that Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will stay with the Silverstone team for the 2027 Formula 1 season, keeping the same pairing together for a fifth straight year. For Alonso, who turns 46 in July, it means a 24th campaign in the championship he first entered in 2001.
The decision comes at a moment when few would have blamed the two-time world champion for walking away. Aston Martin's first year under the new 2026 technical rules, and its first as Honda's works partner, has been a struggle: according to figures compiled after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the team has just three points and sits 10th of 11 teams, ahead only of newcomers Cadillac.
"Racing is my life"
Alonso admitted the choice was not a quick one. "I'm very happy to sign a new contract with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team," he said in the team's announcement. "I took my time to make this decision, but racing is my life, my passion, and I know I still have the speed and determination to compete at the highest level."
According to Sky Sports, the Spaniard also stressed that he is "committed for the long term with this team". The team did not publish the length of either contract, describing both as long-term extensions.
Stroll, who begins his ninth season with the team owned by his father, said: "I'm very pleased to continue with Aston Martin Aramco for the long term." Executive chairman Lawrence Stroll called the pair "a crucial part of our journey" and said their "experience, commitment and knowledge provide considerable value".
The numbers behind the gamble
Together the drivers bring 644 Grand Prix starts, making it the most experienced line-up on the grid. What they have not had this year is a competitive car. Alonso's three points came from 10th place in Monaco and ninth at Zandvoort, and he sits 19th in the drivers' standings. Stroll has yet to score, with 13th in Hungary his best result so far.
Reliability has been an even bigger problem. The pair have been classified only 13 times from 30 starts, with Stroll recording ten retirements. For a driver who scored eight podiums in his debut Aston Martin season in 2023, the drop has been steep.
Why Alonso is staying
The reasons for staying are structural rather than about current results. As GrandPrix.com notes, the arrival of Adrian Newey and the Honda works partnership that began this year were central to Alonso's thinking. The team has also expanded its Silverstone campus, and 2027 will be only the second car built to the current regulations.
Keeping both drivers also means Aston Martin can put all its effort into the car and the Honda power unit instead of spending the winter integrating a new driver. The confirmation removes one of the bigger remaining questions from the 2027 driver market, which still has open seats elsewhere on the grid.
The next test comes quickly. Formula 1 heads to Sepang this weekend for the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on 4 October, where Aston Martin will try to add to a points tally that has not grown since the Dutch Grand Prix.