Alonso’s “multi-year” contract renewal ties him to Aston Martin until at least the end of the 2026 season, and takes the two-time world champion out of the equation for potential openings at Red Bull and Mercedes next year.
Alonso staying at Aston Martin removes one competitor from the picture, further boosting Perez’s hopes of extending his tenure with the reigning world champions. The idea of a competitive and determined Sainz arriving at Red Bull probably wouldn’t be too well received by the Verstappen camp. ‘Team Max' - comprising Verstappen, his father Jos and manager Raymond Vermeulen - wield a lot of power at Red Bull and one would imagine they would prefer to maintain the status quo, than risk upsetting the applecart.