The renewal of Fernando Alonso remains the main point of contention in the Formula 1 transfer market. The Asturian driver said in Madrid that to continue he had to feel that the new cars were something more fun, something that even moved the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. But there’s more.
According to Marc Limacher, a journalist specialized in Formula 1 finances, the financial aspect is also weighing on the negotiations between Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin. To the point that the team’s owner, Lawrence Stroll, would have made a peculiar request to Honda: that they pay Alonso themselves.
Alonso asks Aston Martin for 40 million euros
After the re-signings of Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz and Franco Colapinto, only one major issue remains to be resolved in Formula 1 ahead of 2027: what Fernando Alonso is going to do. The Asturian driver has on the table a proposal to continue with Aston Martin, but he could also retire.
Alonso keeps saying that his continuity depends on the FIA changing the regulations so that the new cars are more entertaining, but there appears to be another sticking point delaying the resolution: Fernando Alonso is asking for a substantial amount of money, and it isn’t clear who should foot the bill.
According to Marc Limacher, a French journalist specializing in Formula 1 finances, Alonso is asking Aston Martin for 40 million euros and a two-year contract. In other words, Alonso wants to stay on until 2028, when he would turn 47. The problem is who should shoulder that significant sum of money.
This journalist asserts that “Lawrence Stroll wants Honda to pay Fernando Alonso’s future salary”. Specifically, the head of Aston Martin would have asked Honda to cover those 80 million euros for two years. And it is Honda who is the most insistent on Alonso remaining in the project.
Remember that drivers’ salaries do not affect the teams’ budget cap, so whatever Alonso earns will not impact the money Aston Martin has for developing its car. However, according to Limacher, “Aston Martin wants Honda to contribute more to the team’s budget from 2027 onwards”.
I hear that Lawrence Stroll wants Honda to pay Fernando Alonso’s future salary.
Alonso is asking for 40 million euros for 2027 and 2028.
Aston Martin wants Honda to contribute more to the team’s budget for 2027 and beyond. pic.twitter.com/O3kAjuUSPp— Marc Limacher | BUSINESS / book GP (@MarcLimacher) August 28, 2026
Perhaps it is a test from Aston Martin to see how engaged Honda is in turning around the situation they are facing in Formula 1.
Images | Aston Martin
