Alonso sets timeline for Aston Martin to have a 'normal' F1 weekend

Fernando Alonso has set a target of a 'couple of Grands Prix' for Aston Martin to finally enjoy a weekend free from the reliability issues that have plagued its start to the 2026 season. The two-time champion acknowledges that becoming truly competitive will take even longer, outlining a two-step process to first finish races and then find performance.

Why it matters:

Aston Martin's persistent technical problems are severely hampering its development program and Alonso's ability to showcase his talent. For a team with championship ambitions and a driver of Alonso's caliber, simply completing sessions and races is the foundational step required before any performance gains can be unlocked, making reliability the immediate and critical priority.

The details:

• The core issue stems from the Honda power unit in the AMR26, which has caused significant vibrations and other unspecified problems.
• These issues limited running in pre-season testing and led to double DNFs for Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll in both Australia and China.
• Alonso expressed frustration with the unpredictable nature of the problems, stating, "We still have too many issues and too many unknown issues that are coming day after day from nowhere."
• Beyond reliability, the team concedes its chassis also needs work compared to rivals, but a lack of consistent track time has stalled development.
• Alonso's timeline separates fixing reliability from finding speed: "There are two steps, let's say... hopefully the first step will come soon."

What's next:

Honda is working on fixes, with the immediate goal being a clean, unrestricted race weekend in the near future. Alonso's target of a 'normal' weekend in terms of lap completion within a few races is now the public benchmark. However, the Spaniard's realistic assessment suggests Aston Martin's climb back to the front of the midfield—let alone challenging for podiums—will be a longer-term project, dependent on first solving its fundamental reliability crisis.