Fernando Alonso produced one of Aston Martin’s strongest performances of the 2026 Formula 1 season at Zandvoort, finishing ninth in the Dutch Grand Prix after completing the race with just one pit stop. The 45-year-old Spaniard admitted he had not expected to score points, making the result an important boost for a team beginning to show signs of progress.
The drive also earned Fernando Alonso significant support in the Driver of the Day voting. Lando Norris topped the poll after winning the Dutch Grand Prix and delivering an excellent overall performance, but many fans also backed the Aston Martin veteran, who has rarely been in contention for a podium in recent races.
Fernando Alonso earns praise after Dutch GP masterclass
Fernando Alonso, who recently celebrated his 45th birthday, produced an impressive performance regardless of the upgrades introduced by Aston Martin and Honda’s new power unit. His efforts were enough to place him behind Lando Norris in the Driver of the Day recognition.
The two-time Formula 1 world champion crossed the line ninth, Aston Martin’s best result of a difficult season after Alonso’s previous 10th-place finish in Monaco.
More importantly, the Spaniard’s race was built around an impressive strategic execution. Alonso completed the Grand Prix with only one pit stop and successfully converted that approach into a top-10 finish.
Alonso: ‘I didn’t expect to finish in the points’
“It’s fantastic to finish in the points here at Zandvoort. I didn’t expect it, so credit to the team for maximising everything we had,” Fernando Alonso said after the race.
“We still have some drivability issues, but this weekend is another step forward. We’ll use this momentum and keep pushing to get the maximum out of the car.”
The result offered further encouragement for Aston Martin after recent changes to the chassis and the introduction of Honda’s updated power unit. There is still considerable work ahead, particularly in terms of drivability, but Alonso’s ninth place demonstrated that the team’s improving package is now capable of bringing it back into the fight for points.
Lance Stroll retires after difficult Dutch GP
Lance Stroll experienced a much more difficult afternoon and was forced to retire from the race. The Canadian also highlighted the car’s drivability as an area that still needs significant improvement.
“We suffered some damage that compromised the car’s performance. We didn’t have the pace and we were sliding around a lot, so we stopped early to fit the hard tyres, but unfortunately it didn’t help,” Lance Stroll explained.
“There’s still a lot of work to do to improve the drivability of the car.”
The contrasting fortunes of the two Aston Martin drivers summed up the team’s current position. The AMR26 is showing more potential than it did earlier in the season, but there are still weaknesses to address. For Fernando Alonso, however, ninth place at Zandvoort was tangible proof that recent progress can now be converted into meaningful Formula 1 results.
