Flavio Briatore insists Fernando Alonso is "quite happy" at Aston Martin, amid reports linking the two-time champion with a surprise return to Alpine.
Alonso's current contract with Aston Martin expires at the end of the 2026 season, his 23rd in grand prix racing, and the Spanish driver is evaluating whether to continue competing or to retire from F1, and spend more time with his family, including first child who was born in March.
Alonso's Aston Martin team had suffered a terrible start to the 2026 season with its AMR26 machine struggling for pace and reliability, as the team decided not to bring any upgrades until round 11 in Hungary. A Honda engine upgrade is planned for the Dutch Grand Prix following the summer break.
The 32-time grand prix winner turned 45 on Wednesday (July 29th), and if he stays on for the 2027 season, will be the first 46-year-old to race in F1 since Maurice Trintignant at the 1964 Italian GP.
One factor key in Alonso's decision over his future is understood to be his desire to race a true Adrian Newey-designed machine, having finally joined forces when Newey took up his managing technical partner position in spring 2025.
However, rumours have grown that Alonso could make a surprise return to the resurgent Alpine team for 2027 if he decides to leave Aston Martin, for what would be a fourth stint with the team.
Alonso raced for Renault between 2003-2006, claiming both of his titles and 15 of his career wins, before leaving for McLaren in 2007.
He re-joined Renault in 2008 for a two-year spell that yielded a further two race wins, before joining Ferrari in 2010. After quitting F1 in 2018, Alonso returned to 'Team Enstone' for a third stint in 2021, now under the Alpine guise, before leaving ahead of the 2023 season to join Aston Martin as Sebastian Vettel's replacement.
One factor for Alpine is the presence once more of Briatore in the team's leadership structure as it enjoys its most competitive season since 2022, with Pierre Gasly scoring a podium in Monaco. Briatore was the figure who signed Alonso and morphed him into a world champion - and remains to this day as Alonso's manager.
Addressing the possibility of Alonso joining Team Enstone once again, Briatore insisted Alonso was "quite happy" where he was, but did not fully rule out the possibility.
"Fernando is driving for Aston Martin," Briatore told select, invited media, including RacingNews365.
"It looks like Aston Martin has made a good step compared to before [with its Hungary upgrades], and he is quite happy in Aston Martin.
"For the moment, there is nothing to say about that.
"He is an Aston Martin driver, and until the end of the season, he is an Aston Martin driver."
Originally published by RacingNews365 —
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