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Fernando Alonso does not expect Aston Martin to make significant gains toward the front of the Formula 1 grid in the coming months. The two-time world champion has admitted the team continues to grapple with fundamental issues, and believes a genuine breakthrough will only be possible after the summer break. For a driver who once fought for podiums in this car, the assessment is blunt.
Alonso's outlook comes despite a promising opening phase at the Canadian Grand Prix, where he surged from 19th on the grid into the points-paying positions before gradually falling back and eventually retiring with a seat problem that became increasingly uncomfortable during the race. That brief flash of pace, however, has done little to shift his view of Aston Martin's underlying position in the competitive order.
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"Basically it was the same story as recent weekends," Alonso said. "Sometimes we have a strong start and we run in a position where we don't really belong, but then we slowly fall back to our natural place in the field." The Spaniard added that this pattern is likely to persist for some time. "That's just our situation at the moment. It will probably stay that way until after the summer. We accept that and remain calm. Every week we get the same questions, but internally we know where we stand and where we're working toward."
Small gains, no breakthrough
Alonso did acknowledge incremental progress within the team since the Miami Grand Prix, with various minor improvements helping Aston Martin edge closer to its rivals. "Every time we go out on track, we learn something new," he explained. "We've made progress with setup, the gearbox, shift points and various other details. That might not deliver huge gains, but the car does feel noticeably better."
Those marginal refinements, however, are insufficient to bridge the gap to the front-runners. Alonso estimates Aston Martin's deficit at around three seconds per lap, a chasm that cannot be closed through fine-tuning alone. The team's current form represents a stark reversal from its early-season competitiveness in 2023, when Alonso regularly challenged for podiums before a mid-season development misstep sent the team backwards.
Honda power and aero upgrade the real target
For a meaningful step forward, Alonso is looking to the second half of the season, when Aston Martin is expected to introduce both additional power from its new Honda partnership and a stronger aerodynamic package. "You can't make up a three-second deficit with small optimizations," he said. "That will have to come from extra engine power and a stronger aerodynamic package. Those developments are planned for later this year. Until then, we keep working on the details and try to maximize every opportunity."
The shift to Honda power, announced as part of a long-term technical partnership, has been positioned as a cornerstone of Aston Martin's resurgence. Whether the combination of new hardware and aerodynamic upgrades can lift the team back into regular contention remains to be seen, but Alonso's timeline suggests the current midfield struggle will define the first half of Aston Martin's campaign. For now, patience is the team's strategy, and Alonso is prepared to wait until autumn before expecting results that match the ambition
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