Fernando Alonso finished ninth at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix to secure Aston Martin’s second points-scoring result of the season, but the Spaniard has warned that the AMR26 still has a clear weakness on the straights. An unconventional one-stop strategy paid off at Zandvoort, allowing Fernando Alonso to capitalise on his pace and the incidents that unfolded around him to begin the second half of the season on a positive note.
It was a demanding race for Aston Martin, and the one-stop strategy was not part of the original plan. Instead, the team changed direction during the Grand Prix and took a risk that ultimately delivered two valuable points. Strategy was always expected to play an important role amid the wider tyre and set-up challenges at Zandvoort.
“The initial plan was to follow the two-stop idea and opt for a more conventional approach, but during the race we decided to change the plan and take a risk, and in this case it paid off,” Fernando Alonso admitted after the race. “I’m happy with the result, I’m a good driver.”
Fernando Alonso identifies Aston Martin AMR26 straight-line weakness
Despite the evident progress, the AMR26 remains a car with significant limitations. Fernando Alonso explained that Aston Martin struggles particularly when running in traffic because its stronger cornering performance is offset by a lack of speed on the straights.
“When we’re in traffic, we can’t fully exploit our potential,” Fernando Alonso said. “We’re faster in the corners than the cars ahead of us, but slower on the straights and we get stuck behind. So as soon as we have clear track in front of us, we try to make the most of it, even if it isn’t the most optimal performance or strategy, and that’s what we did today.”
The ability to create clear air was therefore crucial at Zandvoort. Even though Aston Martin’s approach was not necessarily the theoretically fastest strategy, it gave Fernando Alonso the opportunity to use the AMR26’s strengths without being trapped behind cars that were harder to overtake because of their superior straight-line speed.
Zandvoort points mean more to Fernando Alonso than Monaco result
Fernando Alonso believes the two points earned in the Netherlands carry greater significance than the single point Aston Martin collected with his tenth-place finish in Monaco earlier in the season.
“I think there [referring to Monaco] we scored one point with nine retirements, while today we scored two points with a normal number of retirements,” Fernando Alonso explained. “So I think it was a very well-deserved result. We probably could have done a little better in Hungary.”
The ninth-place finish therefore offered Aston Martin a more encouraging indication of its competitiveness, even though Fernando Alonso remains cautious about assuming the AMR26 will be capable of regularly fighting for points at every circuit.
Fernando Alonso expects Aston Martin to struggle at Monza
Looking ahead, Fernando Alonso admitted that Aston Martin’s prospects will depend heavily on circuit characteristics, particularly the number and length of the straights. That makes the upcoming Italian Grand Prix a difficult proposition for a car whose biggest weakness currently lies in straight-line performance.
“Everything will depend on the characteristics of the circuit and how many straights there are,” the Aston Martin driver said. “So I don’t expect us to be competitive at Monza, but perhaps we can score points at other circuits.”
Monza’s emphasis on straight-line speed therefore appears unlikely to play to the AMR26’s strengths, leaving Aston Martin to target other venues where its cornering performance can be exploited more effectively. The Italian Grand Prix is the next challenge on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
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