Alonso says “the fire inside” drove his Aston Martin extension through 2027

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Fernando Alonso has shared additional insight into why he decided to extend his Formula 1 career with Aston Martin through the 2027 season. Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the team announced that Alonso had agreed to continue racing, keeping the same lineup into next year, with Lance Stroll entering a ninth season with the British outfit.

Alonso said he still feels “that fire inside” when he is at a race weekend. Speaking at media day in Sepang, he described a psychological pull toward driving: “I still feel competitive and I feel that fire inside when I'm at the race weekend – I feel happier.” He added that if he were instead sitting at home watching F1, it would be difficult because “The moment didn't arrive yet,” indicating that the motivation to compete has not fallen away.

The Spaniard linked that motivation to “deep thinking,” describing how he weighed scenarios before returning to racing following his earlier sabbatical. Alonso recalled that during his two-year absence from the sport—between 2019 and 2020—he watched races at home but felt uncomfortable there. He said he did not feel “happier on the couch than on the circuit,” and that his reflections while watching onboard footage led him to conclude, “This was too early,” suggesting he believed he could have returned sooner.

Alonso said the decisive question for his latest decision was whether he would face the prospect of again watching from home. He explained that each time he considered that scenario, he answered “No way,” maintaining that he still “should be driving for at least one more year.” With that reasoning, he framed the extension as an informed choice grounded in his own readiness to race.

With Aston Martin having experienced a difficult 2026 campaign, Alonso was also asked whether he feels encouraged by the team’s direction heading into 2027. He said, “You never know,” noting that optimism often rises in the final months of the season before reality sets in during March. In his view, improvement comes not from promises but from ensuring everyone is motivated, aligned, and working “in the same direction forward.”

Alonso acknowledged that 2026 showed “some encouraging things,” but emphasized there is still “a long winter in front of us” to improve results properly. He specifically called for discipline in how the team works, adding: “especially in the power unit – that's where the biggest hope is for next year.” In doing so, he positioned the winter period as critical to closing performance gaps rather than relying on expectations.

On whether he and the team discussed alternative roles beyond racing, Alonso said they “didn’t talk about” that possibility. He suggested that once he stops racing, “that option will start and we will discuss,” while also noting that this year’s conversations were primarily about whether he would race or not. Alonso described a quick, practical exchange after he made his decision, saying it was “a five-minute conversation honestly with Lawrence [Stroll] and the team,” with him adding that “everything was ready and set.”

Looking further ahead, Alonso indicated he plans to enjoy racing “race by race” rather than setting a fixed endpoint based on age, records, or statistics. He said the key is “feeling good and fast behind the wheel,” and that his decision to continue will be driven by whether he still feels that competitiveness. He concluded that “The day I don't feel [that], that will be the day that I will call it off, but without thinking in numbers.”