The Mexican Grand Prix offered plenty of entertainment for fans, both on the track and off. After the race, where the local idol Sergio Perez competed, speculation swirled. Perez had initially retired due to an accident, and a bold rumor about Fernando Alonso spreading like wildfire through the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez paddock: Alonso could leave Aston Martin to replace Perez at Red Bull next season.
Well-informed insiders in the paddock began to lend some credibility to a move that would send shockwaves through Formula 1 and dominate media coverage. Alonso is under contract with Aston Martin for 2024, just as Perez remains with Red Bull. But the Mexican driver’s future with the energy-drink giant looked uncertain, especially as team advisor Helmut Marko signaled a few more races before a final decision, while Perez had not lived up to expectations despite a fourth-place finish in Austin.
Speculation spanning continents started to take shape in recent days: Sergio Perez might take Alonso’s seat, returning to the place he called home for six years, first with Force India and later Racing Point. A further rumor suggested that Lawrence Stroll might even consider selling the team. The idea of a shakeup with such high-profile names would be unprecedented in the sport, and it added another layer to the dynamic carousel surrounding the grid.
Staying in Verstappen’s shadow comes at a high price. Sainz, Kvyat, Gasly, Albon, and now Perez know this well. Yet the prospect of pairing two talents from different generations like Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso in the same team could ignite a real firestorm. Names like Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris, both of whom Helmut Marko has shown interest in, were floated as possible Perez replacements. A move involving Daniel Ricciardo to AlphaTauri also seemed plausible, especially since the Australian enjoyed a productive weekend in Mexico, lifting his team from last to eighth in the standings.
Verstappen has long spoken highly of Alonso, and the two share a surprising amount in common away from the track. “Fernando is my favorite. I get along well with Lando too, but I have enormous respect for Fernando. He is 42, and his dedication is relentless.” That sentiment followed Verstappen’s dramatic confrontation with Alonso in Monaco earlier this year. Helmut Marko intensified the speculation, suggesting that only Alonso might be capable of beating Verstappen at this stage.
Alonso himself has recalled that he knocked on Red Bull’s door several times during his time with McLaren, noting overtures in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and this year in 2018, with offers from Monaco and August. The question remains whether there have been more recent talks since then, given the shifting tides at Milton Keynes.
Not all chatter has been flattering. DAZN analyst Albert Fabrega startled Alonso’s fans with a cryptic message from Mexico. “I don’t want to believe the rumor they’re telling me in the paddock right now. No.”
Many noted that Fabrega, known for being well-informed, seemed to concur with the trade talk. Perez could have moved to Red Bull or Aston Martin in the past, but many interpreted this as a sign of Fernando’s imminent retirement. A second message later in the day raised even deeper concerns.
“Good morning CDMX! I’ll just say one thing about the rumor I told you yesterday. It’s clear from the tone of the text that I don’t want this to happen. You can speculate as much as you/we want from here. And I hope this remains a rumor and not news. End of thread.”
Amid the chatter, it became obvious that any rumor should be treated as speculation. The Mexico race delivered a real spectacle, feeding the sense that Alonso and Aston Martin were at the center of a high-stakes storyline in Formula 1. The social media wave and the paddock buzz created a climate where every snippet could be interpreted as the next domino in a dramatic sequence for the sport’s future star power and competitive balance. The truth, for now, remains elusive as teams prepare for the next chapters, with every update watched closely by fans and pundits across North America.