Fernando Alonso believes Aston Martin had the pace to fight for points at the 2026 United States Grand Prix before a first-lap collision with Alex Albon damaged his AMR26 and compromised his race. The two-time Formula 1 World Champion eventually finished 16th at the Circuit of the Americas, while teammate Lance Stroll took 15th after starting from the pit lane. Despite the disappointing result, both drivers identified encouraging improvements in the car’s competitiveness.
The Austin weekend had offered Aston Martin an opportunity to return to the points following Fernando Alonso’s eighth-place finish in Malaysia. The Spaniard appeared to be the team’s strongest contender for another top-ten result, but his hopes were damaged almost immediately by an incident that had nothing to do with the mechanical reliability of his car.
Fernando Alonso blames Alex Albon contact for ruined Austin race
Fernando Alonso’s United States Grand Prix was compromised during the opening lap when Alex Albon attempted an overtake on the inside at the entry to Turn 11. The Williams made contact with the Aston Martin, causing damage that would ultimately force the Spanish driver to make an additional pit stop.
The 45-year-old was highly critical of the move after the race, believing the incident had denied Aston Martin an opportunity to convert its improved performance into championship points.
Although Fernando Alonso initially continued despite the damage, the team eventually had to bring him into the pits to replace the front wing. The intervention cost valuable positions and left the Spaniard unable to recover sufficiently to challenge for a points-paying finish.
The incident was especially frustrating because Aston Martin had shown promising speed during the race, offering evidence that the AMR26 was becoming more competitive despite the disappointing final classification.
Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin was competitive enough to fight for points
Reflecting on the race, Fernando Alonso explained that the collision with Alex Albon had undermined an otherwise encouraging performance. The Spaniard believed Aston Martin was making progress and had a realistic opportunity to challenge for the top ten before the damage forced a change of plans.
“We were quite competitive and were having a good race, but the damage to our car compromised everything. We were in 12th position and, despite the damage, we were making up ground, aiming for a finish that would have allowed us to score points. The damage was caused by contact on the first lap, when Albon hit us at the entry to Turn 11. We continued, but eventually we were forced to come into the pits to replace the front wing, which cost us positions. Despite the result, there are still some positives to take from this weekend.”
Fernando Alonso’s assessment underlines the contrast between Aston Martin’s underlying performance and its eventual result. Although the Spanish driver finished outside the points, he believes the team’s pace was considerably more encouraging than 16th place might suggest.
The first-lap damage also made it difficult to assess exactly how competitive Fernando Alonso could have been over the full race distance without the interruption. Having reached 12th position and continued making progress despite the compromised car, the Aston Martin driver was left wondering what might have been possible with a trouble-free race.
Lance Stroll beats Fernando Alonso after starting from the pit lane
On the other side of the Aston Martin garage, Lance Stroll experienced a different but equally complicated United States Grand Prix. The Canadian was forced to start from the pit lane after the team made changes to his car following qualifying, with damage necessitating additional work.
Nevertheless, Lance Stroll managed to finish 15th, one position ahead of Fernando Alonso. It was only the second time this season, excluding retirements, that the Canadian had finished ahead of his teammate, having previously done so at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Like Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll reported an improvement in the car’s competitiveness. He spent much of the race battling with Alex Albon and was able to complete several overtaking manoeuvres, providing some encouragement despite the absence of championship points.
However, the closing laps brought another concern for Aston Martin, with the Canadian reporting a significant loss of aerodynamic downforce that the team will need to investigate.
“After qualifying, we had to make some changes to the car because of some damage, so we started from the pit lane. Our pace was a little more competitive and I fought with Albon for much of the race. There were also some overtakes, which was positive. However, in the closing laps, we experienced a significant loss of downforce, so we need to analyse the situation to understand what happened.”
Aston Martin leaves United States GP with progress but no points
The United States Grand Prix ultimately ended in disappointment for Aston Martin, with both drivers finishing outside the points despite signs of improved competitiveness. Fernando Alonso’s race was compromised by damage sustained in his collision with Alex Albon, while Lance Stroll encountered aerodynamic difficulties towards the end of the Grand Prix.
Nevertheless, the team can take some encouragement from its performance at the Circuit of the Americas. Fernando Alonso believed he had the pace to challenge for a points finish, while Lance Stroll was able to fight other drivers and complete overtakes after starting from the pit lane.
The challenge for Aston Martin is now to build on those improvements while understanding the issues that prevented the AMR26 from achieving a stronger result. In particular, the unexplained loss of downforce reported by Lance Stroll will require attention ahead of the next race.
For Fernando Alonso, the frustration of Austin lies in the missed opportunity. After showing signs of progress following his points finish in Malaysia, the Spaniard believes Aston Martin could have achieved more had his race not been compromised by the opening-lap contact.
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