Alonso Expresses Aston Martin's Frustration with 2025 F1 Performance
Fernando Alonso has openly shared Aston Martin's deep dissatisfaction with their 2025 F1 season, noting the team is "not happy" with their current performance. Sitting P8 in the Constructors' Championship, their struggles stem from a foundational issue with the 2024 car that carried over to 2025, compounded by an early focus on the 2026 regulations. This has left Alonso heading for his lowest points total since 2018, underscoring a critical period for the team's future.
Fernando Alonso has voiced Aston Martin's profound dissatisfaction with their 2025 Formula 1 season performance, stating the team is "not happy" with the current trajectory. The Silverstone-based outfit currently sits P8 in the Constructors' Championship, just a point behind Haas and 18 behind Racing Bulls, with P6 being their best realistic target for the season's end.
Why it matters:
Aston Martin's struggle in 2025 marks a significant downturn, following a year of inconsistent performance in 2024. A team with championship aspirations, their current position and Alonso's candid frustration highlight the urgent need for a turnaround, especially with major regulation changes on the horizon for 2026. This dip in form could impact their ability to attract top talent and investment if not addressed swiftly.
The details:
- Championship Standings: Aston Martin is currently P8 in the Constructors' Championship, a single point behind Haas (P7) and 18 points adrift of Racing Bulls (P6). Williams holds a comfortable lead in P5, making P6 the highest achievable position for Aston Martin.
- Driver Performance: Fernando Alonso's highest finish this season was P5 in Hungary, contrasting sharply with an eight-race streak without scoring points earlier in the year. If current trends continue, Alonso is on track for his lowest points tally since his 2018 McLaren stint.
- Historical Context: Should Aston Martin finish P7 or lower, it would equal their worst constructors' result since 2022, underscoring the severity of their performance issues.
- Root Cause: The foundation of Aston Martin's 2025 struggles traces back to their underperforming 2024 car, which served as the baseline for this year's AMR25. The team's strategy was to shift focus to the major 2026 regulation changes, inadvertently compromising their 2025 competitiveness.
- Alonso explicitly stated: "The second part of 2024 was not really competitive, and that was unfortunately the base for 2025. And then, as I said, with 2026 being a lot of focus for everybody, we were struggling to find the path this season."
The big picture:
The current season for Aston Martin is caught "in the middle of nowhere," as Alonso described it, positioning them awkwardly between a challenging past season and a future with significant regulatory shifts. While the team aimed to prioritize 2026 development, the sacrifice of 2025 competitiveness has proven more painful than anticipated, leading to palpable disappointment within the team and amongst its fans.
What's next:
Aston Martin faces a critical period to stabilize performance and demonstrate progress, even as their primary focus shifts to 2026. The upcoming races, including the Qatar Grand Prix, will be crucial for them to salvage as many points as possible and potentially edge out Racing Bulls for P6. Beyond this season, the effectiveness of their 2026 development strategy will determine if this difficult 2025 season was a necessary setback for future success or a misstep that hindered their long-term ambitions.