Fernando Alonso will continue racing in Formula 1 with Aston Martin in 2027 after signing a new contract, with Lance Stroll also extending his deal to give the team an unchanged driver line up for next season.
The confirmation means Alonso and Stroll will begin their fifth consecutive season as team mates, continuing a partnership that began when the two time world champion joined Aston Martin in 2023.
With a combined 644 Formula 1 starts, the pair will enter 2027 as the most experienced driver line up on the grid.
Alonso’s decision had attracted particular attention because the Spaniard’s previous contract was due to expire at the end of the current campaign.
At 45, Alonso is already the oldest active Formula 1 driver and holds the record for the most Grand Prix starts. His extension means he will compete into his 24th Formula 1 season and continue racing beyond his 46th birthday.
Despite Aston Martin’s difficult 2026 campaign, Alonso made clear that his desire to race remains strong.
He said he had taken time to consider his future before deciding that he still possessed the speed, motivation and determination required to compete at the highest level.
The Spaniard also pointed towards Aston Martin’s infrastructure, leadership and technical resources as reasons for maintaining his commitment to the project.
Alonso keeps faith in Aston Martin project
Aston Martin’s results this season have been far below the expectations created by the team’s heavy investment in facilities and personnel.
The Silverstone based squad currently sits 10th in the Teams’ Championship and has scored only three points through the opening 15 rounds, all of them courtesy of Alonso.
The team introduced a major B specification upgrade in Hungary that improved the car’s competitiveness, but Aston Martin have still spent much of the campaign fighting towards the back of the midfield.
Reliability has also been a recurring problem.
Stroll has suffered numerous retirements during the season, while both cars have regularly required additional power unit components, resulting in grid penalties during recent race weekends.
Those difficulties had created uncertainty over whether Alonso would commit himself to another season.
However, the veteran believes Aston Martin’s long term potential remains stronger than its current championship position suggests.
One of the biggest reasons for that optimism is the presence of Adrian Newey, who took over as Aston Martin team principal for the beginning of the 2026 regulatory era.
Alonso held discussions with Newey and executive chairman Lawrence Stroll before deciding to remain with the organisation.
The Spaniard continues to believe the team possesses the technical resources required to move towards the front.
Aston Martin have invested heavily in their Silverstone headquarters, including a new wind tunnel and expanded technical facilities, while their partnership with Honda forms another central part of the project.
Stroll also signs long term extension
While Alonso’s decision was less certain, Lance Stroll had been widely expected to remain with Aston Martin.
The Canadian has now formally extended his contract and will enter his ninth season with the organisation when its Racing Point years are included.
Stroll said he remained convinced that Aston Martin has the people and resources required to become a winning Formula 1 team.
He highlighted the work taking place at the Silverstone factory and said his commitment to helping the organisation reach its goals remains strong.
His extension ensures continuity at a time when Aston Martin are trying to understand and improve a difficult new generation car.
The team believe retaining two drivers with extensive experience provides valuable technical feedback as engineers continue developing their package.
Executive chairman Lawrence Stroll said both drivers had played an important role in Aston Martin’s journey and described their combined knowledge and experience as highly valuable to the organisation.
He also reiterated that the long term objective remains winning races and ultimately challenging for championships.
Alonso continues record breaking career
Alonso’s decision extends one of the longest careers Formula 1 has ever seen.
The Spaniard made his Grand Prix debut with Minardi in 2001 before winning consecutive Drivers’ Championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006.
Since then, he has raced for McLaren, Ferrari and Aston Martin while also spending time away from Formula 1 competing in other major motorsport disciplines.
He currently has 32 Grand Prix victories and a record 440 Formula 1 starts.
Alonso joined Aston Martin in 2023 and immediately produced one of the strongest seasons of his later career.
He claimed eight podiums during his first year with the team and finished fourth in the Drivers’ Championship as Aston Martin briefly emerged as one of Red Bull’s closest challengers.
The team has struggled to maintain that level since then, but Alonso has repeatedly stated that his commitment to Aston Martin extends beyond simply chasing immediate results.
He has also indicated that he could remain involved with the organisation in some capacity even after his Formula 1 racing career eventually finishes.
Continuity becomes Aston Martin’s priority
Keeping Alonso and Stroll also removes one major uncertainty as Aston Martin plan for 2027.
Formula 1’s new technical regulations have created a steep development challenge for teams throughout the current season, and Aston Martin are attempting to establish a stronger platform before the second year of the rules cycle.
Retaining the same drivers means engineers can continue working with familiar feedback rather than integrating a new driver alongside ongoing car development.
For Alonso, the decision represents another opportunity to see whether Aston Martin’s substantial investment can finally translate into consistent front-running performance.
The Spaniard remains convinced that his own speed is not the limiting factor.
His ninth-place finish at Zandvoort earlier this season was highlighted internally as another example of his determination to maximise difficult machinery, and Aston Martin clearly believe his experience remains an important asset.
2027 grid takes further shape
Aston Martin’s announcement also removes two more seats from an increasingly settled 2027 driver market.
Following confirmation of Alonso and Stroll, only four seats remained officially available on the 2027 grid at the time of the announcement.
Several other teams are still evaluating their options, but Aston Martin have chosen stability.
Rather than beginning another driver search during a difficult rebuilding period, the team will continue with one of Formula 1’s most experienced partnerships.
For Stroll, that means another opportunity to prove he can play a central role in Aston Martin’s long term ambitions.
For Alonso, it means postponing retirement once again.
After months of uncertainty surrounding his future, the two time world champion has decided that his Formula 1 story is not finished.
Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will remain together at Aston Martin in 2027, giving the Silverstone squad continuity, enormous experience and another season to turn its ambitious long term project into results on the track.
