The 2023 F1 season has been full of blockbuster stories, and the return of Fernando Alonso to the podium was looking to be a consistent one. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, Aston Martin failed to keep up in the development race. Their form has dropped off massively, with a double retirement at the Mexican GP. It’s safe to say things aren’t going well for the two-time champion whose career has always been plagued with reliability issues.

Aston Martin failed to deliver a car that would not suffer from Alonso’s wrath, ultimately leaving the Spaniard stranded in an oh-so-familiar situation. To make things worse, the F1 Twitter community erupted with speculation this weekend, after F1 insider Albert Fabrega posted a cryptic tweet. Amidst rumours of Lawrence Stroll selling his shares in Aston Martin flooding the paddock, Fabrega added another twist to the tale.

An unbelievable rumour sparks retirement concerns for Fernando Alonso

“I don’t want to believe the rumour that they have told me now in the paddock. No”  – The pundit sent the community into a frenzy with his statement. While he did not disclose any details as to who he was talking about, fans immediately pointed their fingers toward Fernando Alonso. Many fans asked the pundit if he could share some more information. This prompted the Spanish insider to clarify things, tweeting, “I’m just going to say one thing about the rumour that I told you yesterday. From the tone of the text, it is understood that I would not like it to happen.”

This made fans realise that Fabrega could be speaking about Fernando Alonso’s future! After all, they are both Spanish and it would make sense for the pundit to support his fellow countryman. What added fuel to the fire was talks of Lawrence Stroll selling Aston Martin to Aramco, which would either mean Alonso would make his exit from the team, or retire from F1 completely.

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Rumours began to branch off of this tweet, with some suggesting that Alonso could make a move to Red Bull, leaving Sergio Perez without a seat. Given Alonso’s performance despite his age, he could be a good option, but Daniel Ricciardo remains the top priority for the seat, given his relations with Verstappen and Horner. This is why, according to the fans, there would remain only a few options for Fernando Alonso, with a likely one being retirement. The rumours were further given credibility, with Will Buxton joining in on the drama, dropping subtle hints on his Twitter as well.

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There was also some talk of the Mexican GP exiting the Formula 1 calendar in 2025, which would definitely upset Albert Fabrega. With talks of a silly season upon us, fans were left puzzled by this whole equation! The prospect of Alonso retiring would mean that a seat at Aston Martin would be empty. Which is not as dramatic as if Alonso were to get the Red Bull seat. What would happen to Ricciardo? The Australian is dreaming of the Red Bull seat after all. This situation would also leave Liam Lawson’s future in question, given he is a hot property after his performance as Ricciardo’s substitute. The possibilities are endless!

Is Sergio Perez’s seat really under threat from Alonso?

The Mexican GP was supposed to be Sergio Perez‘s weekend, but it turned into quite a disaster.  The Mexican overestimated the space between him and Leclerc in turn one, causing his RB19 to suffer terminal damage. It could not have come at a worse time for Perez. His biggest rival for the seat at Red Bull had not only out-qualified Perez in an inferior car but also brought in much-needed points for Alpha Tauri. Although Helmut Marko and Christian Horner backed the Mexican after the incident, it sparked rumours that Ricciardo would replace Perez sooner rather than later.

However, once Fabregas’ tweet began making the rounds, Fernando Alonso’s name was added to the list of suitors. After all, Alonso is a proven world champion, while Ricciardo is ‘just’ a race-winner. It would be tempting for any team to consider the Spaniard after he’s consistently outperformed his car’s capabilities, putting it on the podium alongside Verstappen and Hamilton as well.

But these rumours were shut down by another credible The Mirror Pundit, Daniel Moxon, who dismissed these rumours, tweeting, “Been a couple of irresponsible tweets that have set off some #F1 rumours today, To be clear – Sergio Perez is not retiring, nor are Red Bull replacing him with Fernando Alonso.” While he did not dismiss the Fernando Alonso retirement rumours, he did say that neither was Perez leaving Red Bull to make space for the Spaniard nor was he retiring.

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The bomb dropped by Albert Fabrega has left F1 Twitter and Pundits alike scrambling for answers. Ultimately, only time will tell if Alonso bids farewell to the sport, or if it’s grander than that. One thing’s for sure, when Alonso says he’s done with Formula 1, he usually changes his mind.