Fernando Alonso’s World Cup priority offers grim Aston Martin Spa F1 outlook
Fernando Alonso has a clear priority this Sunday at the Belgian Grand Prix...
Fernando Alonso admits his “main focus” at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix is to make sure he gets home in time to watch the World Cup final on Sunday.
With Aston Martin consigned to backmarker status during a horrible 2026 campaign so far, two-time world champion Alonso has little hopes of achieving a good result in Sunday’s race at Spa-Francorchamps.
Instead, Alonso is more worried about making it home in time to catch his beloved Spain in the World Cup final. La Roja take on reigning world champions Argentina looking to win just their second World Cup after triumphing in South Africa in 2010.
Sunday’s final in New York kicks off at 9pm Spanish time, meaning Alonso faces a race against the clock to see the game.
"It will be different. As we don't expect much this weekend,” Alonso told media ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.
"The main focus on Sunday will be to get home and watch the match, to be honest.
“Even if you are at the back of the grid, still enjoying what I do and I'm still competing with another 21 cars on on the grid.
“You close the visor and you're happy, you know, inside the cockpit. I think those moments of of the race, those two hours, you completely get away from the rest of the world and you are in your own zone there inside the cockpit enjoying
“And then outside the car for sure, focus will be to to watch the match if I can.”
But Alonso added: "It's going to be tricky because we are flying back home.
"So maybe again on Sunday the second half will be probably the moment that I will watch the game. And the first half, just miss it.”
Alonso will hope to win bragging rights over Alpine driver Franco Colapinto, who is Argentinian.
Asked if Spa could be Aston Martin’s low point of the season while it waits for a much-anticipated upgrade at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Alonso replied: "Difficult to to predict. Race-after-race you have different feelings and I think it's going to be tough for everybody because of the regulations and the energy available.
“For us definitely, we still have the same car as Bahrain test. The others they they did upgrade the cars. We started on the slow pace and every race we seem slower because everyone is is getting better.
“So, there is this weekend to go through and hopefully next week a little bit better.”
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