Max Verstappen said he has talked with Fernando Alonso about a possible Le Mans team up in the future. Image: XPB Images
Speaking in an interview with BBC Sport, the four-time Formula 1 world champion said the prospect of sharing a car with Alonso had already been discussed between the pair.
“We’ve talked about it,” he said.
“I mean, look at Fernando. He’s 45 and he’s still flying. Especially for Le Mans, with his experience, it could be a good option.
“It needs to fit our schedules. It needs to make sense, it needs to be on my terms, and there needs to be a real chance to go there and win it.”
The prospect has been bubbling away for several years, with both drivers previously expressing interest in eventually competing together away from Formula 1.
Alonso first publicly floated the possibility in 2021 when asked about potentially sharing a car with Verstappen later in their careers.
“We still have an opportunity in the future,” Alonso said at the time.
“Maybe not in F1 honestly, because I don’t see that that’s a possibility.
“But yeah, in the future, who knows?
“I think both of us love racing and endurance racing and Le Mans and many things.
“It would be nice to one day share a team.”
Verstappen was receptive to the idea then too, pointing to opportunities outside Formula 1.
“Like he says, there are also a lot of opportunities outside of Formula 1 later on, so who knows.
“Will be quite cool, I think.”
Five years later, Verstappen’s latest comments suggest the prospect has progressed beyond a hypothetical partnership, even if there remains no firm plan for when it could happen.
Alonso would bring considerable experience to any potential entry, having won Le Mans outright with Toyota in both 2018 and 2019 alongside Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima.
The Spaniard also claimed the 2018-19 World Endurance Championship title during his previous spell away from full-time Formula 1 competition.
The renewed Le Mans discussion also comes as Alonso continues to leave his own plans for 2027 unresolved ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.
His Aston Martin contract expires at the end of 2026 and the 45-year-old has yet to commit to another F1 season, with endurance racing among his alternatives.
Asked directly whether WEC could be an option for 2027 during Thursday’s press conference, Alonso simply replied: “Yes.”
Aston Martin already competes in the championship, potentially providing Alonso with another avenue should he decide his Formula 1 career has reached its conclusion.
Any decision remains some way off, however, with Alonso giving little away when asked in Madrid when clarity over his future could arrive.
“Not soon,” he said.
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