Fernando Alonso welcomes Max Verstappen, Aston Martin links – but move ‘unlikely’
Fernando Alonso has said that rumours linking Max Verstappen with a switch to Aston Martin are “very good for the team” but insists it is “very unlikely” the pair will ever be teammates.
Verstappen’s future with Red Bull has been a frequent talking point this season amid an underperforming car, and that talk intensified after Helmut Marko admitted the team is worried about losing the four-time world champion.
Aston Martin, while just seventh in the constructors’ standings, was linked with a big-money move for the Dutchman earlier this year, and has a promising future given it has already lured Adrian Newey from Red Bull and has an engine deal with Honda coming up for Formula 1’s new regulations in 2026.
Amid more rumours ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Alonso said: “I see them as being very good for the team.
“The world champion is sometimes linked with some other teams and a possible departure from Red Bull and the teams they are commenting on are Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari.
“So this shows the project that we are in and the future that this team has.”
Alonso said he didn’t think a possible Verstappen arrival would be in place of him as he has a “contract for next year.” But with Lance Stroll, Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll’s son, in the other seat, he also conceded that he wasn’t expecting to partner the Dutchman, either.
“Yes [I’d welcome him as a teammate],” Alonso said. “But it’s unlikely to happen. Very unlikely.”
Alonso, 43, also stated that he expects to stay with Aston Martin beyond his racing career.
“As I said always, even last year when I extended the contract, I said that I will drive for as long as I feel fast and I feel competitive and the team needs me behind the wheel,” the two-time world champion added. “But my contract is much longer than my racing career.
“So I will stay with this team for many, many years in a different role. And if that means that we can win a world championship, even when I’m not behind the wheel, I will still feel very proud of the project.”
Aston Martin has managed just 10 points so far this season but despite on-track struggles, heralded designer Newey is “100% focused” on the 2026 car, according to team boss Andy Cowell.
“He joined in March, so there was a period of him getting up to speed with the regulations, up to speed with the concept work that we’ve been doing in the preceding couple of months, and there are some tough deadlines to meet for releasing monocoque details and transmission details,” Cowell told reporters in Jeddah.
“So getting a car ready for [the test in January] requires slightly earlier decision points, and clearly everything’s new, there’s zero carryover. So there’s lots of work there and Adrian’s just been focused on that.”
Source: espn.com