Sports

Formula 1: Fernando Alonso indicates he wants to keep racing beyond the end of the season

Published

3 months ago

April 26, 2026

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso has indicated for the first time that he wants to stay in Formula 1 beyond this season.

The Spaniard, who is out of contract at the end of the season, said at the Monaco historic grand prix on Saturday that 2026 would be “hopefully not the last season”.

Previously, Alonso had only said that he would consider his future during this year, that it would be harder to retire if his car was not competitive, and that he would head into 2026 thinking it would be his final year.

Alonso said in a television interview with the event’s official channel, external: “I love what I do. I love racing. I did my first race when I was three years [old], and I am 44, so 41 years of my life I have been behind a steering wheel. So the moment I have to stop racing, it will be very hard decision and difficult to accept.

“The time will tell. I will feel it. At the moment, I don’t feel it is that time yet. I feel competitive, I feel motivated, I feel happy when I drive. So, yeah, hopefully not the last season.”

Alonso’s Aston Martin team headed into the year with high hopes – it was their first season as works engine partner with former world champions Honda, and design legend Adrian Newey had joined the team in March last year.

But they have had a poor start, with a car and engine beset by a lack of performance and poor reliability.

Honda have taken the brunt of the criticism, after vibrations from their engine were causing failures and extreme discomfort for the drivers.

But it emerged during the first three races that more than half of the team’s performance deficit is accounted for by the chassis.

Newey has explained that the design process was curtailed by his late arrival and problems with their wind tunnel, which left them at least four months behind their rivals in research and development time.

However, he is confident the gap can be bridged on the chassis side during the season.

Honda are acknowledged across the sport as being in the worst position of all the engine manufacturers and are expected to be given permission to have extra development and upgrade possibilities (ADUO).

This is a facet of the rules governing the new 2026 power-units that are intended to allow manufacturers the chance to catch up if they are behind.

Aston Martin are unlikely to have a lot of options for a leading driver to replace Alonso for 2027.

He may be unwilling to end his illustrious career after such a poor season, and hope for an upturn for a potential swansong in 2027.

Sports

'Good signs' for Man Utd as Mbeumo scores in encouraging draw with PSG

Published

3 minutes ago

August 9, 2026

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Bryan Mbeumo earned Man Utd a 1-1 draw with Paris St-Germain in Gothenburg, a pre-season friendly which left boss Michael Carrick encouraged by the “good signs” from his side.

Sports

'Took him off both his feet!' | Stevie McKenna with HUGE first-round KO

Published

10 minutes ago

August 9, 2026

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Stevie McKenna stopped Owen O’Neill with a devastating right hand in the opening round of their contest at Zuffa Boxing 10.

Sports

Callum Walsh comes through cuts and knockdown to drop Denny and take battling decision victory in Dublin contest | Boxing News

Published

16 minutes ago

August 9, 2026

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Callum Walsh maintained his unbeaten record and top contender status with a unanimous decision victory over Tyler Denny.

Denny, a former European champion, is a tough veteran and proved a test for the Irish middleweight at Dublin’s 3Arena.

Walsh prevailed on points, winning 98-91 twice and 96-90.

The bout didn’t progress without its pitfalls as Denny gave him hard rounds.

The first round suddenly went south for Walsh. Awkwardly positioned in front of Denny, he found himself bending low. Denny attacked and Walsh took a shot before slipping to a knee. The referee ruled that a knockdown.

Walsh found the perfect riposte in the second round. As Denny came after him, Walsh launched a lovely arching left cross to the point of the Englishman’s chin, dropping him heavily to the canvas.

Denny, brave as ever, rose and fought on. But Walsh popped up from beneath an attack to land a fine right hook and he finished the round slugging Denny into the ropes.

The Briton shook off the effects of that round and advanced. By the end of the fourth round, Walsh was backing up, letting his southpaw opponent come on but picking out accurate punches to catch Denny.

Walsh maintained his control, moving, hitting and letting Denny work to try to pin him down.

The Briton kept scrapping forward and managed to land solidly in the sixth round.

Denny trudged on swinging wildly, but Walsh manoeuvred well. The Irishman caught Denny to the head with a left-right combination. Denny felt those shots but remained doggedly determined. He cleaved away with uppercuts in close.

The referee took a point off Walsh for holding, before evening up it by taking a point off Denny for hitting behind the head.

Walsh exploded forward with a savage sequence of punches to the head, leaving Denny stranded, standing still on the end of them.

But Walsh emerged from a clash with a cut over his left eye. It bled badly at once. Denny was leaning into him in scrappy collisions and Walsh looked frustrated after picking an additional nick on his cheek.

In the 10th round Walsh landed a great lead right uppercut. Denny got after him with hooks, catching the Irishman with his southpaw left and right.

Another hard left from Walsh though snagged Denny. He couldn’t put the Englishman down a second time but made sure he finished the fight in the ascendancy.

‘I think he broke my orbital bone’

Walsh told Sky Sports: “It was a lot harder than I thought. In the second round we clashed heads. I think he broke my orbital bone. It was crunching the whole time.

“It was very tough. I’m very critical of myself. I should have been a lot better. I wish I could have been better.

“He’s tough, awkward and tricky, but we’ll go again.”

Watch Aaron McKenna and Etinosa Oliha fight for the IBF world middleweight title in Dublin on Saturday, live on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream boxing with no contract.