Aston Martin ambassador Pedro de la Rosa has poked fun at rumours linking Fernando Alonso with a return to the Alpine team for the F1 2026 season.

It comes after PlanetF1.com revealed that Alonso visited Alpine for lunch over the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

Fernando Alonso back to Alpine? Aston Martin ambassador laughs off rumours

Alonso joined Aston Martin from Alpine at the end of the 2022 season, with the move seemingly marking the end of the two-time World Champion’s long-running association with the Enstone-based team.

Alonso previously won both his Drivers’ titles with Alpine (then Renault) across 2005/06, returning to the team for a second spell in 2008/09 before joining the team a third time upon his Formula 1 comeback in 2021.

The Spaniard, who will turn 44 next month, is tied to Aston Martin until at least the end of the F1 2026 season after signing a multi-year contract extension with the team last April.

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Despite being under contract, it has been speculated that Alonso could be let go by Aston Martin if the team prove successful in their pursuit of Red Bull driver and reigning four-time World Champion Max Verstappen.

Aston Martin were linked with an eye-watering $300 million move for Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in April.

In a statement issued to PlanetF1.com at the time, Aston Martin distanced themselves from the reports and insisted that they remain fully committed to their current line-up of Alonso and Lance Stroll.

A spokesperson said: “It’s normal for the media to speculate on driver market, but we have an amazing driver line-up that we are committed to and who are under contract for 2026 and beyond.

“Our focus is on delivering for our drivers by giving them a more consistent and competitive car.

“When we do, they are both capable of delivering great results.”

David Croft, the Sky F1 commentator, sparked rumours that a fourth spell at Enstone could be on the cards for Alonso after he made a number of visits to the team’s hospitality unit in Montreal last weekend.

However, PlanetF1.com understands from sources close to the situation that Alonso was merely having lunch at Alpine in Canada, where his parents were in attendance.

And De la Rosa, the Aston Martin ambassador who previously worked with Alonso at McLaren and Ferrari, has laughed off suggestions that the two-time World Champion could return to Alpine.

Taking to social media, the former F1 driver posted an image of Alonso’s parents smiling with Flavio Briatore, the Alpine executive adviser, in the Montreal paddock.

In the caption, De la Rosa wrote: “Hi Alpine, I hope you didn’t sign the wrong Alonso…”

De la Rosa’s message was accompanied by a laughter emoji and two hashtags reading “rumors” and “silly season.”

Alonso is known to have a close relationship with Briatore, who still serves as his manager two decades after overseeing his consecutive title triumphs as team principal of the Renault F1 team.

Briatore returned to F1 with Alpine ahead of last year’s Spanish Grand Prix, 15 years after being banned for his role in the infamous ‘Crashgate’ saga surrounding Alonso’s controversial victory at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Marcin Budkowski, the former Alpine boss, claimed in Canada that Briatore “would probably” like to re-sign Alonso.

He told Eleven Sports: “[On Friday] morning I spoke with my former colleague from Alpine and Fernando walked out of the hospitality area.

“Later on, I had a meeting there with the person responsible for the Alpine academy, discussing young Polish drivers.

“And as I was leaving, Fernando was sitting at a table with his girlfriend, who works here as a journalist. His trainer and some people from his entourage were also there.

“So that was the second time I saw him and now you [the journalist] are saying that someone [Croft] has apparently seen him even four times.

“Flavio would probably like to have him back in the team.

“So for sure he’s talking to him to keep that option open, just in case something happens at Aston and Fernando can end up at Alpine.”

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Speaking during his first season with Aston Martin, Alonso revealed that he was all set to commit his future to Alpine in 2022 before he noticed what he described as “a lack of professionalism” during negotiations.

Alpine failed to seal a deal for Alonso in 2022, opening the door for Aston Martin to swoop after Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement at that year’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Alonso’s switch to Aston Martin was announced the morning after the race in Budapest, just four days after Vettel confirmed his decision to retire.

It was claimed at the time that Alpine were hesitant to hand Alonso a long-term contract extension due to their excitement over the potential of Oscar Piastri, then the team’s reserve driver.

Alpine eventually lost both Alonso and Piastri, who opted to join McLaren for his debut season in 2023.

Appearing on Spanish radio show El Larguero in 2023, Alonso said: “The first [act] was that Vettel retired.

“The second was that Alpine had been negotiating for several months and nothing was ever finalised.

“We agreed on everything, but the paper didn’t arrive and I noticed a lack of professionalism.

“At Aston, we had everything clear on Saturday after Vettel’s announcement on Thursday, the role on the table.

“This willingness to have me seduced me.

“It was an adventure, there was a risk, but it worked out well and the hunch worked this time.

“There were a few hours with both offers on the table, but I saw more ambition in Aston Martin.”

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