The 45-year-old has not committed to Aston Martin for 2027 and beyond, with another retirement from F1 considered a genuine possibility.
Should Alonso walk away again, it would likely mark the final chapter of his career in the championship.
Aston Martin Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack remains hopeful of retaining the Spaniard, insisting the team believes a “good solution” can be found. He also described the prospect of Alonso leaving as “unthinkable” and declined to discuss contingency plans.
“At the end of the day, we have always been clear that the team wants to continue [with him], but we need to respect what Fernando’s thoughts are and the time he wants to take,” Krack told media.
“As I’ve said before, we’re confident we can reach a good solution for everybody. Now it’s about waiting. He needs to make up his mind, and then we move on.
“He has made clear that it is not one single thing that he wants to see change. And yeah, I read about these discussions [with Ben Sulayem] as well. The sport needs someone like that.
“We will all be keen to see Fernando continue. What can be done to accommodate, I think, it will be done, and then I hope we can come to a good solution and continue.”
“I will not give you any names [of a potential replacement], and I will also not speak about any plan B,” he added.
“We very much hope that Fernando will continue. He’s very important for our team, very important for Formula 1, and motorsport in general.
“It would be a pity to not have him anymore.
“And because that would be so dramatic, I do not even want to talk about it or think about it.”
The situation echoes Alonso’s first departure after the 2018 season, when he left following several uncompetitive years with McLaren-Honda before returning in 2021.
Aston Martin’s current struggles have added another layer to the decision. Its works Honda power unit trails rival engines, while the AMR26 has endured reliability and driveability problems despite chassis improvements with its B-spec package.
