Fernando Alonso says he still has dreams of winning a third drivers' championship, as he admits 2026 could be his final year in Formula 1.

The Spaniard ended the 2024 season ninth in the drivers' standings, earning 70 points, though he failed to earn a single podium finish throughout the year.

Alonso won back-to-back world championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006, while it has been 11 years since he secured the last of his 32 Grand Prix victories.

He made a promising start to last season, and earned eight podium finishes, with five of those coming in the first six races. However, he failed to end his winning drought before slipping out of form.

"I still dream," Alonso says. "Why not? I know 2026 is probably my only chance because 2025 is extremely difficult, but I am still dreaming.

"F1 is for dreamers, probably, because anything can happen. Let's see."

Despite his tough run in 2024, Aston Martin could emerge as serious contenders in the coming years following the appointment of Adrian Newey, the greatest designer in F1 history.

The 65-year-old announced in May that he was leaving Red Bull after 18 years and will begin work with his new team in March 2025, where he will begin work on the new Aston Martin car for the new rules coming into force in 2026.

"Expectations will be high because it is a new car, change of regulations, car made by Adrian," Alonso added.

"Probably - or at least to start - it will be my last season in F1 because my contract finishes at the end of 2026. It is the time of delivering and the time of truth. High expectations."