Fernando Alonso and Adrian Newey Hold First Major Talks After Zandvoort

Last Sunday's race at Zandvoort was Aston Martin's best of the season so far. Alonso finished ninth, securing two points and tripling the team's total for the campaign, adding to their tenth-place finish in Monaco.

Despite this, the 41-year-old driver's future and his plans for 2027 are still unclear. The two-time world champion stated last year that he was open to retiring at the end of 2026 if he felt the Aston Martin package was strong enough to provide a satisfying final season.

However, the first half of the season could hardly have been worse for the Silverstone-based team. They started as one of the slowest on the grid before upgrades in Hungary and the Netherlands transformed them from backmarkers into a comfortable midfield contender.

Throughout 2026, Alonso has remained non-committal about his future, with rumours even suggesting a return to Alpine. That possibility was dismissed, however, after the team confirmed Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto for 2027.

This left Aston Martin in the dark about Alonso's plans, at least until the Spaniard's meeting with Newey on Sunday evening.

According to The Race, the pair had an "in-depth conversation" in the Aston Martin motorhome after the race. The report adds that Alonso will also speak with team owner Lawrence Stroll about his future before the Italian Grand Prix.

Given the recent improvements at Aston Martin and with Honda, Alonso might be tempted to stay for another season with the team, seeking a fitting farewell to Formula 1.