Aston Martin’s difficult 2026 Formula 1 season delivered another setback at the Italian Grand Prix, with both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll retiring at Monza. Lance Stroll stopped with a suspected hydraulic problem, while Fernando Alonso returned to the pits after his car was damaged by an impact with a kerb.
The outcome was particularly disappointing after recent developments had appeared to offer Aston Martin a possible route towards recovery. Upgrades introduced in Hungary and the new Honda engine brought to Zandvoort had raised hopes that the Silverstone team could begin moving forward after an unexpectedly poor first half of the season. Instead, reliability problems have continued to affect the team in both the Netherlands and Italy.
Lance Stroll retires with suspected hydraulic problem at Monza
Lance Stroll was once again among those affected, with the Canadian forced to park his car on lap 26 of the Italian Grand Prix.
“We had to retire the car with a suspected hydraulic issue, but we were struggling in the race anyway,” Lance Stroll explained. “We know we don’t have the power we need at the moment and today was another confirmation of that. On paper, Madrid looks slightly better suited to us, so now we focus on that race.”
His comments highlighted another concern beyond reliability. Aston Martin is still lacking the power needed to compete consistently, despite the introduction of Honda’s latest engine specification at Zandvoort.
The characteristics of Madrid could offer a more favourable opportunity, with the Spanish Grand Prix following Monza on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
Fernando Alonso retires after Monza kerb impact damages Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso’s race had already ended three laps before Lance Stroll stopped, although the two-time Formula 1 World Champion retired for a different reason.
The Spaniard, who won at Monza in 2007 and again in 2010, suffered damage after hitting a kerb and Aston Martin decided not to risk continuing.
“My race ended early because of damage to the car following an impact with a kerb,” Fernando Alonso said. “We decided to stop to make sure there was no further damage. Until then, I was fighting with the Cadillacs trying to get the maximum from the car. Now we look ahead to Spain next week and a new circuit for all of us.”
Aston Martin’s recovery remains difficult despite recent upgrades
The double retirement leaves Aston Martin still searching for the sustained improvement it hoped would follow its recent technical developments. The Hungary upgrades and Honda’s new engine had appeared capable of opening a new phase for the team, but the races at Zandvoort and Monza have instead underlined that significant problems remain.
Lance Stroll’s hydraulic issue added another reliability concern, while Fernando Alonso’s retirement came through car damage rather than a mechanical failure. Even so, both Aston Martins failing to reach the chequered flag represents another frustrating result for a team trying to recover from a difficult opening half of the championship.
Attention now turns to Madrid, where both drivers hope the circuit characteristics will provide a better match for the AMR26. Aston Martin’s difficult start to the season is also reflected in the 2026 Formula 1 drivers’ standings, with the team still needing a significant step forward as the campaign continues.
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