Alonso hints Barcelona Grand Prix will be his last F1 race at home circuit

Fernando Alonso has suggested that the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix will be his final Formula 1 race at his home circuit, telling reporters at the Spanish Grand Prix press conference: “It’s going to be a special weekend, probably my last Barcelona race in Formula 1.”

The 44-year-old Aston Martin driver, competing in his 23rd Spanish Grand Prix, was candid about the significance of the occasion while tempering expectations about his competitiveness. “I want to say thanks to everyone. I will try to enjoy the weekend. I will not be competitive and I will not be too long in the car in qualifying, and in the race, hopefully yes, but not at the pace that we all want. But I want everyone to still enjoy the weekend.”

Asked whether it was emotionally difficult to consider this his last race in Barcelona, Alonso redirected the question toward performance rather than sentiment. “No, I mean, it’s not hard. For me, the hardest thing is not to win races and not to be competitive. If it’s the last or not the last, it’s not affecting too much.”

Alonso added that he is at peace with what his career has produced. “I achieved a lot more than I ever dreamt when I was a kid. I never dreamt to be a Formula 1 driver and then race for the best teams in the paddock and stay for a very long time. So, everything is a plus.”

The Spaniard has had a difficult 2026 campaign with Aston Martin, whose car — the first designed under the leadership of Adrian Newey and powered by a new Honda unit — has struggled for pace. Alonso’s sole point of the season came with a 10th-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Alonso has not officially announced his retirement, and with no Barcelona race scheduled for 2027, it remains unclear whether he will step away at the end of this season or continue into the following year.