“We need heroes” - F1 boss urges Fernando Alonso to stay after Barcelona retirement hints

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali hopes that Fernando Alonso will remain in the championship “for a long time” after the Aston Martin driver dropped repeated retirement hints in Barcelona.

Alonso is F1’s longest-serving current driver, competing in his 23rd season, having spent a further four campaigns as a test or reserve driver. 

Despite failing to win a race since the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix, Alonso is still regarded as one of the best drivers on the grid, and Domenicali is keen for the two-time champion to remain in the thick of the action.

“I suffer a lot for Alonso, because I have a lot of respect for him and I know he’s fantastic,” Domenicali told Spanish publication AS.

“But I know that he is a resilient person. He will have the opportunity, I hope, if they give him a good car to show the talent he has.

“His mentality is one of fearless commitment, at all levels. He needs the right project. I hope he will be here and not just for a year, for a long time.”

Alonso currently finds himself racing more often than not at the back of the pack, with only team-mate Lance Stroll and the two Cadillac drivers for company once the order settles after his usually impressive starts.

The comments came after Alonso suggested the recent Barcelona race could be his last at the venue, which will next feature on the calendar in 2028, as it enters a new one-year-on, one-year-off, rotational arrangement with Spa Francorchamps.

Alonso will, however, race again at least once in his home country, with the Spanish Grand Prix taking place in Madrid on the new Madring circuit in September.

The Spaniard’s current Aston Martin contract runs to the end of the 2026 season, with Alonso having indicated that he aims to make a decision on his future by the summer break.

Domenicali said: “It’s a fact that we need heroes. That’s why I expect Fernando to stay for a long time, with the right car he’s still very strong.”

As for what F1 would lose should Alonso call time on his career, Domenicali added: “It’s not the time to talk about that because I want to see him here for a long time.”