F1 | Aston Martin suspension breaks at Monza after flying track debris?. Fernando Alonso was forced to retire at the Italian GP after a suspension component on his Aston Martin.

Fernando Alonso was forced to retire during the Italian Grand Prix due to the dramatic failure of a front suspension component. According to Silverstone team analyses, the suspension arm was damaged by a stone that had landed on the track and was likely thrown by the car ahead of the Spanish driver.

Monza posed a challenge during the Italian GP: gravel. In certain sections of the circuit, debris from the runoff areas ended up on the asphalt, creating several issues. A detailed examination of the Aston Martin AMR25’s front suspension, which failed during the race, revealed that there was no structural defect as initially suspected at the end of the Italian GP.

Alonso had mentioned the incident somewhat sarcastically to the team, frustrated by a retirement that cost him a possible seventh-place finish, which could have affected the Constructors’ Championship standings. While exiting the Variante Ascari curb, the green car suffered a sudden suspension arm failure, forcing the Spanish driver to stop immediately.

Data suggests that the carbon element with a metal core broke because it was hit by one of the many stones left on the track, launched violently against the Aston Martin by the car ahead of Alonso.

The Silverstone team has studied the unusual failure at Monza. Gravel runoffs, while effective in controlling track limits, also have a downside. The example experienced by the British car, which saw a structural suspension element collapse, shows that action is needed to clear the track—potentially by deploying a Virtual Safety Car or a Safety Car—because stones can become extremely dangerous if hurled violently by cars in front.