Alonso arrives late at Suzuka as news of his fatherhood breaks.
He will only miss commitments on Thursday.
Fernando Alonso was unable to attend media obligations on Thursday ahead of the Japanese GP at Suzuka, with strong reports from Spain suggesting he has just welcomed his first child. Aston Martin stated merely that the 44-year-old will arrive "slightly later this weekend for personal family reasons," assuring that "all is well" and confirming he will be present for Friday's running. However, DAZN reported that Alonso and his partner Melissa Jimenez have celebrated the arrival of their first child, a claim supported by multiple Spanish sources, even though Alonso has not yet publicly acknowledged the news. This means that Alonso will miss only his Thursday commitments. Regardless, he was already set to miss FP1, with reserve driver Jak Crawford scheduled to take his car as part of Formula 1’s requirement for young driver sessions. If this information is validated, Alonso will join Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez, and Max Verstappen as the fathers currently on the grid. This development occurs amid ongoing speculation regarding Alonso’s future, with some believing that 2026 could signify the end of his Formula 1 career. Aston Martin simulator driver Dani Juncadella expressed that the situation may depend on performance. "I thought so before the season started, but we’ll see what happens," he told Diario Sport when questioned if this might be Alonso’s last year. "If Aston Martin’s enhancements are significant, knowing Fernando, he might finish the year and think, ’Now that we’ve made the car competitive, I’m not going to leave.’ But if the car struggles throughout the season and they don’t achieve notable progress, I can imagine it being his final year." Juncadella, who is also affiliated with Verstappen’s GT3 team, even suggested a possible endurance racing collaboration between the two champions. "Man! It would be impossible to say no," he remarked. "Fernando’s already won Le Mans, but I’m sure if Max calls him, he’ll agree."
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