The way forward for the two-time world champion has been topic to intense hypothesis ever since Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 transfer to Ferrari was confirmed earlier this 12 months.

Whereas Alonso was, at one level, seen as a possible substitute to Hamilton or a possible goal for Purple Bull, he has pledged his future to the workforce he joined in 2023.

“It was straightforward,” Alonso mentioned on Thursday in regards to the new deal. “I wanted just a few races or few weeks to essentially take into consideration myself, if I used to be able to commit for extra years in System One, as a result of the calendars are just a bit bit extra intense now, the automotive as properly, the commitments.

“My love for System One and my love for Aston Martin did not change, however I simply needed this time to essentially communicate with myself and make the choice and the dedication. System One takes all of your time, all of your power. It’s a must to quit principally all the pieces in life to maintain racing, and I needed simply to talk with myself if I used to be prepared to take action.

“It was additionally a way of loyalty that I needed to specific to my workforce, one year-and-a-half in the past, we began collectively and we achieved so many issues, a few of them in all probability unprecedented in System One to succeed in so many highs in such a brief time frame.”

Though hypothesis was rife, Alonso mentioned discussions with different groups had been solely ever preliminary and a part of the method of an F1 driver market.

“I did communicate with different folks as properly, sure. I believe it is regular if you enter negotiations, you have to stability a little bit bit what’s the market. You have to take heed to everybody else as properly. It is only a regular process, and I believe it is truthful to take heed to all of the proposals and see how the market strikes. I do not know, in my head, Aston was the logical factor for me to do.

“On the finish, it was additionally one of the best and probably the most, I felt probably the most needed in Aston Martin. All the opposite conversations had been simply gentle, and by no means got here to any conclusions or one thing like that. Perhaps extra time was wanted, all these sorts of issues. Whereas in Aston, it was a transparent need to work collectively, which was the identical that I had. That is why it got here very straightforward.”

The deal will see Alonso race once more with Honda, who he had a rocky relationship with whereas racing for McLaren between 2015 and 2018.

For some time it was identified Honda refused to work with Alonso because of the public criticism he made throughout that point — Alonso went on to race with Toyota on the Le Mans 24 Hours and needed to discover different engines for the Indy 500 in 2019, when he did not qualify for the occasion.

Honda left McLaren after the Alonso spell and joined Purple Bull, a partnership which has yielded three straight championship seasons.

Alonso, who mentioned he has met with Honda bosses this 12 months, mentioned he’s excited to work with the corporate once more.

“Honda is certainly a producer that has a lot success in System One and never [just] System One on the earth of motorsport that’s at all times an organization that I revered, an organization that it did not work for us in McLaren, within the years that they got here to the game.

“However proper after that they repair all the issues and they’re at the moment dominating the game. They have been world champion for the previous few years. So I believe they’ll have a baseline for 2026 that’s already very robust.

“We simply got here from Japan, particular race, at all times a particular helmet after I race in Japan, a Samurai tattoo on my again. So there are lots of hyperlinks at all times with Japan and in 2026 it’s interesting and hopefully, after expertise with McLaren Honda and the IndyCar as properly, we now have now the chance to work once more collectively. That for me is a real pleasure.”

Alonso instructed his deal might hold him tied to Aston Martin past the second he decides to cease racing in System One.

“It is a lifetime undertaking in a means for me, that is the longest contract I ever signed in my profession. That is one thing that may hold me linked with Aston for a lot of, a few years to return. Let’s examine which position, let’s have a look at what number of extra years I’ll drive.

“However even after driving, I’ll use 25-plus years of expertise in System One, plus one other 10 or 15 exterior F1, so practically 40 years’ motorsport expertise in the good thing about a workforce that gave me this chance now on this second in my profession.

“So, that is additionally very interesting for me and I am extraordinarily motivated for the subsequent years to return.”

Requested if his deal meant he shall be linked with Aston even after he has retired, Alonso added: “In all probability, sure, however I do not know when I’ll cease driving.

If I hold driving many, many, a few years, I signed a contract that I shall be within the automotive. If I cease a little bit bit sooner than the contract driving, I shall be in a distinct position, sure.”