Fernando Alonso did not try to soften expectations. According to him, Aston Martin is not yet ready to compete on equal terms — and there will be no quick fixes. The Spaniard clearly outlined the timeline: the team expects to improve only in a few months, once upgrades start working and it becomes clearer how to unlock the car’s potential.
“I think Aston Martin can only count on being competitive in a couple of months. We know the season is long, and if you understand the problems and fix them, you have enough time to be in a much better position in the second half of the year.”
Betting on the McLaren Scenario
Alonso himself admits that it may sound a bit optimistic, but he points to McLaren’s example in 2023. Back then, the team started the season among the outsiders and finished it among the leaders. Aston Martin hopes for a similar turnaround — but understands that this requires getting the upgrades right and not making mistakes in the development direction.
Problems Are Known
According to Alonso, the team now has a better understanding of its weak points after testing in Bahrain. Among the key issues are vibrations, lack of power, and fundamental handling concerns.
“The car has huge potential, but we need to fix vibrations, the power deficit, and fundamental things. We just need time.”
On track, this means one thing: the upcoming races will be run with the current package, which Alonso himself calls uncompetitive. At the same time, the factory is preparing upgrades, while the team continues to gather data in race conditions.
The question is whether this plan will work — or if Aston Martin risks losing too many points before the car truly becomes competitive.
