Fernando Alonso’s new contract with Aston Martin was reportedly signed with a “gun to the head” amid a Mercedes offer for F1 for 2025, and Carlos Sainz’s availability forced him to make a decision.
Alonso announced last week that he would remain in F1 until at least the end of the 2026 season, after signing a new multi-year contract with Aston Martin.
The Spaniard’s new deal will see him turn 45 and reunite with Honda, which will arrive from Red Bull as Aston Martin’s new engine in time for new F1 regulations in 2026.
The timing of Alonso’s contract extension came as a surprise after the former Renault, McLaren and Ferrari driver was heavily linked with potential vacancies at Red Bull and Mercedes.
Ahead of the signing of his new contract, reports claimed that Alonso was “making great efforts” to secure a seat at Red Bull for 2025, amid uncertainty surrounding Max Verstappen’s future.
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Alonso is also said to be in the running to join Mercedes for 2025 as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who announced in February that he would sign with Ferrari on a multi-year deal at the end of this season.
Alonso, who had insisted Aston Martin was his “first priority” in any negotiations, told the media, adding that he PlanetF1. com, following the contract announcement, that the team and driver were “looking for the same thing” for 2025. , and Alonso feels “at home” since joining the Silverstone-based team in 2023.
However, a report by German publication Auto Motor und Sport revealed that Alonso’s decision to stay “was entirely of his own volition” as Sainz left Ferrari to make way for Hamilton, forcing him to act quickly.
And Alonso’s decision to stay came even though Mercedes was offering a one-year plus one-year contract if the team failed to convince Verstappen to sign for Red Bull.
With Sainz’s name at an all-time high after his season opener, in which he took his third career win at last month’s Australian Grand Prix, Alonso is said to fear the outgoing Ferrari driver could emerge as an option. for Aston Martin.
Sainz’s availability, according to AMus, has allowed Aston Martin to “put a gun to the head of its star driver” with the threat of waiting for an opportunity at Red Bull or Aston Martin “too big” for Alonso to take advantage of.
Mercedes is offering a one-year contract with an option for an extra season deemed “unattractive” for Alonso as the option to make it bigger would have been on the team’s side, potentially allowing them to return to sign Verstappen for 2026. or advertising 17-year-old Italian sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
If Alonso were to sign up for Mercedes, he was “determined” to ensure he stays with the team until F1’s new regulations in 2026, which are expected to change the competitive order.
According to AMus, Alonso’s decision to withdraw from the market by committing to Aston Martin has left Verstappen “backed into a corner” when it comes to his long F1 career.
While Mercedes is still hoping for a first podium in 2024, the prospect of replacing Hamilton in 2025 is exciting for Verstappen.
However, any commitment to Red Bull beyond this season would threaten to trigger an ambitious takeover via Christian Horner amid existing tensions within the team.
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