Ambiguity at Aston Martin: Tsunoda, Albon or Alonso again after all?
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At the end of 2024, as many as 14 drivers' contracts expire. But six drivers are fixed until after that season. A mega Silly Season is lurking, but what are the proportions at the moment? At Aston Martin, things are rumbling internally. Will Lawrence Stroll continue to own the team, will Lance Stroll keep his seat and when will Fernando Alonso retire?
When do Stroll and Alonso's contracts expire?
At Aston Martin, much will depend on the owner situation. There are rumblings at the top about possible takeovers. This would make Lawrence Stroll's position less important, and with it his son Lance Stroll. The young Canadian disappointed considerably in 2023 and will not be at the top of other owners' driver lists.
Lance's contract is unclear anyway. Aston Martin states that he will race for the team in 2024, Stroll himself was still unclear about this in a press conference. The length of his contract has never been made public, by the way, but with his father as owner, he still seems assured of a seat.
Fernando Alonso's contract expires at the end of 2024. Aston Martin would like to keep him as a frontrunner and figurehead, but much will depend on performance. If Alonso achieves podiums, then he is happy, if the team goes backwards then he may start to doubt his future in F1.
What Honda's arrival means for Aston Martin
With Honda as the engine supplier from 2026, the link to Yuki Tsunoda is quickly made. The Japanese driver is stuck at AlphaTauri and does not seem to have much of a chance of getting a seat at Red Bull Racing. For Honda, a Japanese driver in the team would be ideal and Tsunoda, meanwhile, has the experience for a step up. Besides, he made a much more stable impression in 2023.
For all the other names, it very much depends on what Aston Martin needs. Tsunoda is not a direct replacement for front-runner Alonso, you can't trust the Japanese driver to do that yet. Sainz would be more suited for that, but does he want to step down from Ferrari? For Alexander Albon, Aston Martin would be a step forward, just as Sergio Perez could end his F1 career in style with 'his' team.
Options for the second man abound. With the possible Chinese takeover, Guanyu Zhou has already been directly linked with a move to Aston Martin. In addition, with Felipe Drugovich, the team also has a very capable reserve driver in house who might deserve more.