Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso is growing impatient
“The worst car ever”: these five words, spoken by Fernando Alonso during free practice in Abu Dhabi, shook Aston Martin to its core. If we could step into the Spaniard’s mind, we would likely sense his frustration with a journey at the Silverstone team that isn’t unfolding as hoped. After a spectacular start to 2023—Alonso’s first year with Lawrence Stroll’s team—Aston Martin lost its way in development, falling from the second-best team to a mediocre limbo, a position it maintains only thanks to the skill of the two-time world champion.
Following his outburst at Yas Marina, later “smoothed over” with diplomatic statements, the team fears losing Fernando Alonso, who is under contract until at least 2026. That year, however, feels far away, and the real impact of Adrian Newey’s influence will only be seen then. Team principal Mike Krack acknowledges the two-time champion’s disappointment but believes the team can regain his trust.
Mike Krack’s comments
“The only solution is to give him a fast car, as we saw in 2023. If the car isn’t competitive, it’s tough for everyone. To be honest, I feel bad for him because it’s the drivers who are exposed—this is especially true for a double world champion who has fought for victories for so many years and now has to treat seventh place as a big achievement,” Mike Krack told RacingNews365. “It must be very hard, and I hope the situations that have happened in his career (his stormy exits from McLaren, Ferrari, and Alpine, ed.) don’t happen again, but that depends on us.”
“Reassurances frankly no longer work because, over the last 18 months, we’ve promised improvements we haven’t been able to deliver. We must accept the drivers’ skepticism, which is normal. Now it’s time to act,” he continued. “Fernando has been a fantastic team player so far, but we can understand his comments when he’s overtaken 50 times by drivers who are certainly not on his level.”
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