Dubai: Fernando Alonso will arrive late for the Japanese Grand Prix after welcoming his first child with his partner, Melissa Jimenez.
Aston Martin confirmed the update in a statement on Wednesday, noting that Alonso’s schedule has been adjusted slightly.
Fernando will arrive a little later this weekend for personal family reasons and will not be attending the media day at the Japanese Grand Prix.
All is well and he will be at the track in time for Friday.#Japanese GP
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) March 25, 2026
“Fernando will be arriving a little later this weekend for personal family reasons and will not be attending the media day at the Japanese Grand Prix,” the statement said.
“Everything is fine and he will be on track in time for Friday.”
Alonso, who is in the final year of his contract with Aston Martin and has yet to confirm whether he will continue in Formula 1 beyond 2026, is not expected to take part in Friday’s opening practice session.
Instead, backup driver Jak Crawford will step in to drive the car as part of the team’s required rookie sessions this season.
In December, the two-time F1 champion shared photos on social media from a long drive in his ultra-luxury Aston Martin Valiant alongside Jimenez.
Jimenez, a prominent F1 reporter, has interviewed many drivers across the network. Her Instagram highlights her strong presence in the paddock, with notable names such as Lando Norris and George Russell among her 648,000 followers.
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