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Fernando Alonso's hint of potentially retiring from the sport after the 2026 F1 season has put Aston Martin under immense pressure. He has been scoring the most points for the team since joining in 2023, and continues to assist the team's development through his immense experience in the sport.
However, at 44 years old, the Spaniard has once again sparked speculation about his retirement. Speaking to the media earlier, he mentioned that he would consider stepping away from the sport if Aston Martin managed to deliver a strong car in the 2026 season, under the first year of the new and challenging regulations.
With the latter part being a strong possibility, the team is expected to be under pressure about their driver signing. Although they have had Lance Stroll driving for them for a long time, he hasn't been a strong competitor on the grid.
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The experience and consistency that Alonso brings to the team are essential, especially considering the new regulations next year. They are poised to be best for drivers who are well at adapting to different cars, and the Spaniard excels at that.
With the pressure building up for the team, there have been a few names highlighted who could join the team in the future.
Yuki Tsunoda tipped as potential Fernando Alonso replacement in future
Tsunoda was promoted to Red Bull Racing earlier this season and has been competing for the Milton Keynes team since. However, his performances have been rather underwhelming, and he has failed to replicate Max Verstappen's pace on the track.
As the season progresses, Jamie Chadwick was questioned about RBR's potential lineup in the 2026 season. She suggested that Isack Hadjar could move up to the team from Racing Bulls, which would then leave Yuki Tsunoda without a seat.
However, he might find himself as Fernando Alonso's replacement at Aston Martin. Speaking on the Sky F1 Podcast, Ted Kravitz mentioned that Tsunoda has been labeled as a "Honda" driver in the past.
"That’s the thing. Is Yuki Red Bull’s guy or is he Honda’s guy?" Kravitz said. "That’s the question. Christian Horner and Helmut Marko always kind of felt that Yuki was linked to Honda, where Yuki was like ‘no, no, no I’m a Red Bull guy’. And it’s whether Laurent Mekies, Helmut Marko and Alan Permane think there is a future in Yuki."
Kravitz further suggested that Tsunoda could instead find himself at Aston Martin, as Fernando Alonso's replacement, if he retires from the sport.
"Or whether Yuki can get himself a third driver at Aston Martin Honda next year, maybe a third driver role? Maybe that’s the way he wants to go, does he want to stay within the Honda fold and not necessarily within the Red Bull family?"
Aston Martin currently uses the Mercedes power unit; however, they will switch to Honda in the 2026 season under the new regulations. This could be Fernando Alonso's final season, as he suggested earlier, if the team manages to deliver a competitive car.
