Fernando Alonso, aged 44, expects the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on Sunday to be probably his last Formula One race at that circuit, marking his 23rd Spanish Grand Prix appearance. He called all his previous races there magical and reflected, "It’s going to be a special weekend, probably my last Barcelona race in Formula One. So, I want to say thanks to everyone. I will try to enjoy the weekend" [1, 2].
Alonso, who is out of contract with Aston Martin at the end of this season, said he will not be competitive at Barcelona and will limit his time in qualifying. He added, "I will not be competitive and I will not be too long in the car in qualifying, in the race hopefully yes, but not at the pace that we all want" [1, 2].
The team’s chief trackside officer Mike Krack warned of a difficult race, stating, "On paper, for Barcelona, it will be tough. It will be very tough. In Barcelona, there is no place to hide. I think for the drivers, it will be the toughest" [1].
Spain will host two Formula One races in 2026, with the Madrid Grand Prix debuting later this month and the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix held earlier in September. The Circuit de Catalunya will then rotate out of the calendar until 2028 due to alternating with Belgium [1, 2].
Alonso won the Circuit de Catalunya in 2006 while claiming his second consecutive world title with Renault. He is treating each race as potentially his last and plans to decide after the summer whether to continue racing [1, 2].
Aston Martin and Alonso scored their first points of the 2026 season in Monaco, moving Alonso up from 11th to 10th in the standings post-race [1, 2].
The Barcelona race takes place Sunday, September 7. Madrid will host the second Spanish Grand Prix later this month, on September 26, marking a new chapter in Spain’s Formula One calendar [1, 2].