Fernando Alonso has cast doubt on speculation that Max Verstappen will join Aston Martin for the 2026 Formula 1 season, describing such a move as "unlikely."
With Adrian Newey focusing exclusively on Aston Martin's 2026 car, Honda transitioning its engine supply from Red Bull to the Silverstone-based team, and whispers of a staggering $100 million-per-year offer circulating in the paddock, Verstappen has been linked to Aston Martin.
However, Alonso, a two-time world champion, expressed scepticism. "I don't think so," the 43-year-old said, citing his own contract for 2026.
With Lance Stroll also secured for the same year, Alonso concluded that Verstappen donning the team's green livery is "unlikely to happen."
Verstappen has also been heavily linked to Mercedes, particularly given the team's confidence in dominating the new 2026 engine regulations. This has sparked rumours that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently contacted George Russell, Mercedes' out-of-contract driver who is currently in top form.
Auto Motor und Sport editor Michael Schmidt, however, questioned the feasibility of such a swap.
"If Verstappen goes to Mercedes, they'll have to throw out one of the two current drivers," he said, referring to Russell and Toto Wolff's teenage protégé, Kimi Antonelli.
Schmidt elaborated, "They are both drivers who really belong to the Mercedes family, so it is all easier said than done. If Russell goes, Verstappen will be next to Antonelli, and the Italian really wouldn't stand a chance next to a monster like that. The second season is often the most difficult for a young driver and his career could then be over. Mercedes would actually have to get rid of both drivers if they want Verstappen. He will want the whole team to focus on him, just like Red Bull does, and he can also demand that—just as (Michael) Schumacher and (Ayrton) Senna understandably did too."
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff indeed appears poised to retain Russell, stating, "We will resume negotiations with George when the European part of the season begins. He is performing at a very high level and lives up to our hopes and expectations. There is no point in asking more from him. There is no reason to dispute or doubt anything now."
Wolff also expressed satisfaction with 18-year-old Antonelli. "I am very satisfied," he confirmed. "The development is going in the right direction. There were also no kamikaze actions," he smiled.
"The most interesting thing is that he is always fastest at the end of the weekend, which shows that he is really getting to grips with the car and how to manage the tyres. Antonelli is 100 percent on schedule."
Amid the speculation, the increasingly solid theory is that Verstappen, 27, intends to honour his Red Bull contract through to 2028. Fellow quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel, speaking in Saudi Arabia last weekend, supported this view. "I think moments like this is when you really bond with your team," he said.
"Ok, some people have left and some people have come, but whether you win the championship or not, that's the nature of F1. I think now is the time to stick together and take the opportunity to bounce back."
Verstappen himself also downplayed the rumours a few days ago, stating, "Everyone is talking about the rumours except me."
He told Dutch journalists, "People want to have something to write about. Of course every driver wants to be in the fastest car—that's completely normal. But that doesn't mean you just run away if things aren't going well. You can't always win everything all the time."
