Fernando Alonso has expressed that he would welcome Max Verstappen as his team-mate at Aston Martin in Formula 1, but he claimed that it is “unlikely to happen”.
The speculation surrounding Verstappen departing Red Bull has gathered momentum again over the past week amid the arduous outing the team endured in Bahrain.
Verstappen struggling to a distant sixth place in the race prompted Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko to admit the team maintains grave concern he could go elsewhere.
The Dutchman has long been connected with a potential switch to Mercedes, though boss Toto Wolff’s interest has subsided as George Russell closes on a new deal.
However, Aston Martin has also been backed as a possible destination as it would see Verstappen reunite with engine provider Honda and design guru Adrian Newey.
Alonso believes Verstappen being linked with the Silverstone-based squad underlines how attractive the team remains despite a tumultuous start to the 2025 season.
But the two-time F1 champion, now in his third campaign with Aston Martin, harbours no concerns that Verstappen is being lined up to take his spot as soon as 2026.
Asked whether he is concerned about his seat, Alonso told media including Motorsport Week in Saudi Arabia: “I don’t think so, as I have contract for next year.
“But I see the rumours, you know, very good for the team.
“As you said before, the World Champion is sometimes linked with some other teams and a possible departure from Red Bull and the teams that they are commenting are Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari, as your colleagues said now.
“So this shows the project that we are in and the future that this team has.
“And 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.
“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.”
Alonso rules out short-term Verstappen to Aston move
Both Alonso and current team-mate Lance Stroll, whose father Lawrence owns the team, signed contract renewals last term to commit to Aston Martin through 2026.
So although Alonso has declared that he would be prepared to be paired alongside the reigning champion, the Spaniard can’t see their paths crossing at Aston Martin.
When pressed on whether he would accept Verstappen as a team-mate, Alonso concluded: “Yes, but it’s unlikely to happen. Very unlikely.”
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