Montoya warns Alonso leaving Aston Martin could be a decision he regrets

Juan Pablo Montoya has issued a stark warning to Fernando Alonso, telling the two-time Formula 1 world champion that leaving Aston Martin now could prove to be one of the costliest decisions of his career. Speaking ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Montoya argued that Alonso risks walking away from a team that has all the ingredients to become a genuine title contender.

Alonso’s 2026 campaign has been deeply disappointing. After seven rounds, the 44-year-old Spaniard sits 18th in the drivers’ championship with just a single point, leaving his future at the Silverstone-based outfit increasingly uncertain. Alonso has spoken openly about considering retirement in the near future, while reports have also linked him to a return to Alpine under Flavio Briatore.

Montoya, however, urged caution. “The hard thing for Fernando is, what do you do? It’s impossible to know the best situation for the future, but we all thought this year was going to be the delivery, and it wasn’t,” the Colombian said. “So what do you do? You have one, two more years left in F1, do you stick with them? You’re in a comfortable place. They like you. They know you, and they have the tools to build a really winning car. So if you have everything to do that, would you risk going somewhere else and go, ‘Oh, I should have stayed’?”

Montoya pointed specifically to the assets Aston Martin has assembled as evidence that a turnaround remains plausible. “You have Adrian Newey designing the car, who is one of the best designers, if not the best here. You have Honda, which has won championships. You have the new factory. You have all the tools to deliver,” he said.

He also painted a cautionary picture of the alternative — a reunion with Briatore at Alpine that produces respectable but not exceptional results, while Aston Martin finds its stride without Alonso. “You leave that place and they get it right and they’re winning every week, and you look back at it and you go, ‘Oh my god, I had that in my hands,’” Montoya warned.

Alonso has not confirmed any decision regarding his future, and the situation is likely to develop as the 2026 season progresses.