The future of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton
Even though next season’s grid is slowly taking shape, the rumours surrounding Formula 1 continue to swirl and now point to a possible retirement for Fernando Alonso in 2026. The Asturian driver was in the running to sign for one of the top teams on the grid, but ultimately decided to go for the Aston Martin project and stay with Lawrence Stroll’s team for two more seasons.
Come that year, the change in regulations could bring more consequences such as the retirement of the two-time world champion and also of Lewis Hamilton. Furthermore, George Russell’s words in an interview with the Daily Mail also point to a possible sabbatical year for Max Verstappen. If all predictions come true, the competition would lose its three big stars in a single year.
The future of Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso’s future has been up in the air since the season began. Without a contract for next year, the Asturian was negotiating with Red Bull and Mercedes, but finally the speculation was closed with the extension of his contract with Aston Martin. There was also talk of a possible withdrawal from the competition, something that the Asturian does not hide and that he recognizes that he has little time left in Formula 1.
However, motorsports fans can rest assured, since that bad news would not arrive until 2026 at least. Although it would not be the first time that the two-time world champion has moved away from Formula 1, this time would be the definitive one and he could do it with the help of Lewis Hamilton. The Briton has also been fooling around for a couple of seasons with the possibility of retirement in the absence of a renewal offer that promises a winning project. The seven-time champion will try his luck at Ferrari starting in 2025, but it would not be surprising if the change in regulations marked a turning point for the entire grid.
George Russell hints that Max Verstappen could take a year off
The change in regulations that Formula 1 will undergo in 2026 causes the grid positions to be ‘reset’, leaving a complete unknown as to who will be the team that has worked best to compete with the new rules. This suggests that veteran drivers like Hamilton or Alonso are not in a position to wait more than 3 seasons waiting for who gives them the opportunity to win.
The same would happen with Max Verstappen who, in the words of George Russell in an interview with the Daily Mail, “Max could take a year off in 2026 and see which is the best team.” The Mercedes driver indicates that he would not be surprised “at all” if he did that, since “2026 is a lottery” and that “you really don’t know what will happen.” If all predictions come true, Formula 1 would see it lose its three biggest stars in just one season, seeking to fill its void with young people like Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris or George Russell himself.
