Spanish Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso spoke candidly during the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, addressing the long-term goals of the Aston Martin team, as well as ongoing development updates, and offering some firm messages aimed at both younger drivers and the newer generation of fans brought in by Netflix.
Speaking during a media session at Spa, Fernando Alonso made it clear that much of Aston Martin’s attention is already directed toward preparing for the major regulatory overhaul that will take place in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
“Our focus is already 80% on 2026,” Alonso revealed. “Both we drivers and the entire team are thinking about what’s ahead.”
Despite this strong focus on the future, Aston Martin has not completely shifted away from 2025. The team is still bringing technical updates to the current AMR25 car, including a development package expected to debut during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. However, Fernando Alonso admitted that the time available to test the new components might be limited due to the sprint race format.
“I believe this package was originally planned for a later race, perhaps for Budapest. We managed to bring it forward. If we have enough time, we’ll test it. Otherwise, we’ll keep it for another weekend,” the two-time world champion explained.
Alonso also welcomed the return of Alan Permane in a key leadership position within the team. The experienced engineer, formerly of Alpine and Renault, recently joined Aston Martin to strengthen the team’s technical structure.
“I know him well. He’s a very capable person with strong leadership qualities and a lot of experience. His return is a good sign for the team,” Alonso said.
Fernando Alonso’s no-nonsense message to young drivers
When asked what advice he would give to young, up-and-coming drivers, Fernando Alonso did not sugarcoat the reality of Formula 1.
“You need to be ready to give your maximum every single day. When you’re not performing, you have to accept criticism and improve. This is a tough environment. But if you’re here, it’s because you’ve won in the past. Now you need to manage the frustration of not being able to win all the time,” he commented.
His words reflected the hard-earned wisdom of a driver who debuted in F1 over two decades ago and who has continually fought to remain competitive despite the ups and downs of his career.
Fernando Alonso responds to the Netflix effect
The veteran driver also addressed a hot topic in recent seasons: the changing fanbase of Formula 1 driven by the Netflix series Drive to Survive and the upcoming F1: The Movie.
“Experienced drivers don’t worry about what Netflix fans think,” Fernando Alonso declared. “They don’t see everything. They think you win because you ate something different that morning. But the reality is very different—we train every day, we eat properly, we spend hours in the simulator. They don’t know how hard we work to stay at the top.”
Fernando Alonso’s message was crystal clear: the general audience often overlooks the invisible yet essential effort behind every result on track. While the affection of the fans is always appreciated, the Spaniard remains focused on performance and hard work, which he believes are the only real keys to success in the world of Formula 1.
Leave a Reply