Jenson Button calls out British publication for misquoting his comment about Fernando Alonso

Jenson Button has pushed back against how his recent remarks about Fernando Alonso were framed, after a British publication, PlanetF1, reported that he urged the Aston Martin driver to retire. The comments surfaced as questions continue to swirl around the Spaniard’s F1 future, with his Aston Martin contract ending after the 2026 season.

Alonso is the most experienced driver in F1 history, with 425 race starts since his debut in 2001. Now approaching his mid-40s, the two-time world champion has openly admitted that his future beyond 2026 would depend on competitiveness, motivation, and enjoyment under the next set of regulations. However, there were reports of his girlfriend, Melissa Jimenez, being in the sixth month of pregnancy.

Button’s original comments came in that context, during a Sky F1 interview, reflecting on longevity, family life, and perspective after retirement. PlanetF1 shared an article by Oliver Harden on X with the headline:

“Come on, mate!’ Sky F1’s Jenson Button has told Fernando Alonso to speed up his retirement plans.”

Jenson Button responded to the post:

“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.”

In his original Sky F1 interview, Button spoke about Fernando Alonso becoming a father:

“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.”

Button, who retired at the end of the 2025 World Endurance Championship season, reflected on how becoming a father changed his outlook. Meanwhile, Alonso addressed the rumors about his retirement and his thought process.

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Fernando Alonso addresses retirement talk

Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin before the F1 Abu Dhabi GP. Source: Getty

The renewed focus on Fernando Alonso’s future comes after two difficult seasons for Aston Martin, with the team finishing seventh in the constructors’ standings in 2025. The 44-year-old driver scored 56 points and finished tenth in the drivers’ championship, with a best finish of P5 at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Those results have only intensified scrutiny around whether 2026 could represent a final chapter.

Speaking to AS.com in September, Alonso reiterated that his future hinged primarily on the 2026 regulations.

“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.”

With Adrian Newey leading Aston Martin’s 2026 project and Honda set to power the new car, Alonso has described the coming regulation reset as a decisive moment. For now, he has stressed that the team’s needs come first and that he no longer races to prove anything.

As the offseason begins and preparations for 2026 testing in Barcelona approach in the coming months, Fernando Alonso’s focus might be split between Aston Martin’s long-term vision and personal milestones away from the circuit.

Edited by Hitesh Nigam