Fernando Alonso makes feelings clear on having Max Verstappen as future team-mate

Fernando Alonso says he would welcome Max Verstappen becoming his team-mate at Aston Martin. But the two-time F1 world champion insists the switch is 'very unlikely' to happen, despite reports that Verstappen and his camp have held discussions over a mega-money deal.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who is also a long-serving ally of the Verstappens, admitted after the Bahrain Grand Prix that he was 'concerned' about the Dutchman's future with the team. He is contracted to Red Bull until 2028, but break clauses will become active if they do not deliver him a competitive car, and the RB21 has started the season a long way off the front-running McLarens.

In the days between last weekend's race in Sakhir and this weekend's contest in Saudi Arabia, rumours have snowballed around Verstappen moving to either Mercedes or Aston Martin in an effort to maximise his chances of world title success in 2026.

A switch to Aston, who are reportedly prepared to pay Verstappen over £1billion over the course of a five-year deal, would pair him with F1 veteran Alonso. The duo sat side by side during their media duties on Thursday, when Alonso was asked whether he would welcome having the four-time champ as his team-mate in the future.

"Yes," he replied. "But it's very unlikely to happen. Very unlikely."

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