Jenson Button hopes that Fernando Alonso will stay in Formula 1 for longer. The future of the 45-year-old Spaniard is uncertain; his contract with Aston Martin expires after this season. In recent weeks, he has given little clarity about next year, apart from the fact that he still has a passion for Formula 1 and wants to remain involved with Aston Martin after his active career.
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“I have often said that the regulations are just the way they are,” Alonso responded in Zandvoort. “They are not the best or most fun cars to drive, but my life is inextricably linked to Formula 1. This is where my heart lies. I will remain involved with this team in some role in the future, so it’s not about me or who drives next year, or whether I drive next year or in three years. I don’t know that.”
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have recently committed to their teams for the long term, while Alpine, where Alonso was successful in the past, has already finalized its lineup for 2027. Extending at Aston Martin thus seems the only option for Alonso, aside from a definitive farewell to the sport. Button, who raced alongside Alonso at McLaren for years, strongly hopes for the former option.
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‘Fernando Alonso resembles Michael Schumacher’
“Fernando’s (Alonso, ed.) future is currently a much-discussed topic,” the Brit – who also works as an Aston Martin ambassador – responded via the official team channels. “I have no idea if he will commit to the sport for another year, but I do know that whenever he decides to stop, he will rightly be regarded as one of the true F1 greats. Personally, however, I hope he continues for a while,” Button assured.
“The biggest compliment I can give Fernando is that racing against him felt a lot like racing against Michael Schumacher,” he noted. “In my experience, racing against them was always tough but fair – it was always on the limit and I loved that. That was part of the challenge.” Button also praised the Spaniard’s ‘unique driving style.’ “If you painted all the cars the same color and put all the drivers on the track, you would hardly see a difference. But when Fernando passes by, you immediately know it’s him. That’s because of what he does behind the wheel. Fernando drives like no other. He is aggressive, can adapt brilliantly, and that has been the case throughout his career.”
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