Jenson Button has spoken out against reports that misrepresented his views on Fernando Alonso’s future in Formula 1, after PlanetF1 suggested he urged Alonso to retire. The issue arose as speculation grows around Alonso’s plans with Aston Martin beyond the end of the 2026 season, bringing the focus keyword “Jenson Button Alonso retirement remarks” into play.
Button Objects to Misleading Representation of His Comments
Button’s recent remarks regarding Fernando Alonso appeared in a Sky F1 interview, where he discussed the challenges and perspectives drivers face as their careers evolve, especially in relation to family and personal fulfillment. However, when PlanetF1 amplified these comments with a headline by Oliver Harden, reading,
“Come on, mate!’ Sky F1’s Jenson Button has told Fernando Alonso to speed up his retirement plans,”
Button promptly clarified on social media:
“Typical Clickbait Headline @Planet_F1. I never said Fernando should retire, it was an interview about how good he still is and how having kids gives you a new sense of achievement, even the smallest win for your kids means more than personally winning.”
– Jenson Button, Retired F1 Driver
During the original interview, Button drew on his own experiences after leaving racing at the end of the 2025 World Endurance Championship season. He reflected on the joy and perspective gained from fatherhood and mused on Alonso’s future both on and off the track:
“I also think: ‘Fernando! Come on, mate. I’d like to see him with a bunch of little Fernandos running around and then maybe they want to go karting and then he can continue the journey. It’s great that he’s still competing and he’s still so competitive. But for me, if my son or daughter jumped into a go-kart, that emotion would be probably more than winning a world championship, seeing them want to drive a car. Whether they do or not, I don’t really know. But that would be pretty cool.”
– Jenson Button, Retired F1 Driver
Rather than calling for Alonso’s retirement, Button highlighted the joys of parenthood and the evolving motivations that come with life changes. His comments followed reports that Alonso’s partner, Melissa Jimenez, is expecting a child—an additional dimension to Alonso’s ongoing career narrative.
Alonso’s Uncertain Road Ahead With Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso’s future in Formula 1 has drawn significant attention, especially following two difficult years with Aston Martin. The Spanish driver, now 44 and the most experienced racer in F1 with 425 race starts, ended the 2025 season tenth in the drivers’ standings, gathering 56 points and achieving a best result of fifth place at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Aston Martin finished seventh in the constructors’ championship, prompting questions about how much longer Alonso intends to continue at the top level.
Alonso reiterated in a September interview with AS.com that his decision about retirement will depend heavily on the regulatory changes coming in 2026 and on his personal motivation:
“It depends on how I feel next year, how I feel physically and mentally.” Alonso said. “But I don’t know. Right now I don’t have a clear idea. If the car is running well, there’s a good chance it will be my last year.”
– Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Driver
With key figures such as Adrian Newey now involved in Aston Martin’s 2026 project and Honda poised to power the new car, Alonso sees the upcoming overhaul as a pivotal moment. At the same time, he has stated that his current priorities are more aligned with the team’s progress than with individual accolades, acknowledging he no longer races with something to prove.
Shifting Priorities and Anticipated Developments
As the main F1 season closes and teams shift focus to offseason preparations and pre-season testing in Barcelona in the coming months, Alonso finds himself at a crossroads. The combination of regulatory changes, Aston Martin’s future projects, and changes in his personal life—particularly with the expected arrival of a child with Melissa Jimenez—are likely to shape his decisions as 2026 approaches.
The recent misrepresentation of Jenson Button’s remarks has intensified debate about the pressures veteran drivers like Alonso face when negotiating the transition between sporting ambition and personal life milestones. As Testing in Barcelona draws near, the Formula 1 world will continue to watch whether Alonso’s legacy extends further or if 2026 brings his celebrated racing career to a close.
"Come on, mate!"
Sky F1's Jenson Button has told Fernando Alonso to speed up his retirement plans.https://t.co/28ZDoX71MW
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) December 15, 2025
