Aston Martin struggles highlight Fernando Alonso’s leadership: “Working with him is a privilege”. Pedro de la Rosa praises Fernando Alonso’s leadership at Aston Martin.

Aston Martin crisis doesn’t break Alonso: “He’s a true leader, working with him is a privilege”

Pedro de la Rosa, the Aston Martin team ambassador, has praised Fernando Alonso, highlighting the two-time world champion’s importance within the team even during a very difficult period for the British outfit.

From dream to disappointment

Spanish Formula 1 fans had placed huge hopes in Aston Martin, Adrian Newey, and the major technical revolution coming with the 2026 season. The expectation was that the Silverstone-based team would deliver a car capable of allowing Fernando Alonso to fight for podiums, victories, and perhaps even that elusive third world title the Asturian has been chasing for over two decades.

Those hopes, however, have so far been severely disappointed. Not only is the AMR26 uncompetitive for race wins, but—partly due to the currently unproductive partnership with Honda—it is arguably the weakest car on the grid at this stage of the season.

Despite this difficult situation, Aston Martin brand ambassador Pedro de la Rosa believes the crisis is actually highlighting Alonso’s leadership qualities even more clearly.

Throughout his long career, the Spaniard has often been labeled as a “difficult” driver to manage within a team. However, de la Rosa, speaking in an interview with Spanish outlet AS, insists the reality is quite the opposite.

Alonso leads from the front

“Working with Fernando is a privilege, I’ve always said it, and he is a source of inspiration. With him, I never stop learning,” said de la Rosa, who has worked alongside Alonso during their time together at McLaren and Ferrari.

“Right now we are in a difficult situation, but Fernando is there supporting us, helping whenever extra work is needed, and doing it with great determination. He is not a frustrated Fernando or anything like that. He simply says: ‘We have to work, and I am here.’ That is what makes him a great leader.”

Unfortunately, the road ahead for Aston Martin after such a difficult start to 2026 remains long and challenging.

“The frustration of the fans is also the frustration of the entire team,” de la Rosa added. “No one should think we are experiencing it differently. We need to keep our heads down and work harder and better than others to remove this bitter feeling from the start of the season. What I don’t want is to create false expectations. The only thing I can promise is hard work, and from there, the races will decide whether we have done better than the others. But we promise a lot of work,” he concluded.

It is fascinating to see how the narrative around Alonso has shifted from the “team-destroyer” labels of the late 2000s to being hailed as the ultimate professional today. Aston Martin is clearly in a hole, but having a driver who chooses to dig instead of complain is a “luxury” that many other teams on the grid currently lack. The real test will be whether that legendary Alonso patience holds out if the Honda power unit continues to struggle throughout the European leg of the season.