The two-time F1 world champion will leave Alpine at the end of the season to join Aston Martin, acting as the latest bombshell in the F1 driver market.
Alonso will replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel and opens up a seat with Alpine that looks set to be filled by Oscar Piastri.
Alonso said on Sunday after the Hungarian Grand Prix that he was confident his future would be sealed by the time F1 returns from its summer break at the end of August.
But the swift conclusion of talks with Aston Martin now means he will step down from the ship and link up with the British team owned by Lawrence Stroll for 2023 and beyond.
“This Aston Martin team clearly applies its energy and dedication to victory and is therefore one of the most exciting teams in Formula 1 today,” Alonso said in a statement.
“I have known Lawrence and Lance for many years and it is very clear that they have the ambition and passion to succeed in Formula 1. I have watched the team systematically attract great people with winning pedigrees and I have realized the huge commitment to new facilities and resources at Silverstone.
“No one in Formula 1 today has demonstrated a greater vision and absolute commitment to victory and that makes it a really exciting opportunity for me. I still have the hunger and ambition to fight to be at the front, and I want to be part of an organization that is committed to learning, growing and succeeding.”
The news also comes less than 24 hours after Alpine F1 boss Ottmar Schaffnauer expressed confidence that Alonso would remain with the team in 2023 and beyond, predicting that negotiations would be “very clear”.
Alpine has been trying to find a place for back-up driver Piastri for some time and looked set to loan him to Williams for next year.
But Alonso’s departure now means Piastri looks set to step up and join Esteban Ocon in the squad from 2023.
Alonso will link up with Martin Whitmarsh at Aston Martin, with whom he worked at McLaren in 2007. At 41, this looks set to be one of Alonso’s last F1 moves, but the multi-year contract acts as a sign of his commitment to continue racing .
Stroll acquired the Aston Martin team in 2019 when it was known as Racing Point before rebranding it under the British manufacturer’s name for 2021.
A significant investment in Silverstone’s facilities is underway, setting out a five-year plan to fight for world championships.
The team currently sit ninth in the championship, but Alonso was confident that this was the right place if he wanted to win again in Formula 1.
“The passion and desire to perform that I witness convinces me to maintain my enjoyment and dedication to the sport,” Alonso said.
“I intend to win again in this sport and so I have to take the opportunities that I see fit.”
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