Fernando Alonso expects Aston Martin to spend much of the 2026 United States Grand Prix defending rather than attacking, despite receiving a welcome boost on the starting grid at Austin. The Spanish driver qualified 15th at the Circuit of the Americas but will move up three positions to start 12th following penalties handed to rival drivers.
Qualifying nevertheless offered a few encouraging signs for Aston Martin, with Fernando Alonso reporting an improvement in the car’s behaviour around the Texas circuit. However, the two-time Formula 1 World Champion is keeping his expectations realistic ahead of the race, recognising that a better starting position does not necessarily mean the team has the performance to challenge those further up the field.
Fernando Alonso sees progress for Aston Martin in Austin qualifying
Although Fernando Alonso finished qualifying in 15th position, his performance represented a modest step forward for Aston Martin. The Spaniard managed to reach Q2 for only the third time this season, suggesting that the car is better suited to the demands of the Circuit of the Americas than it has been to several previous venues.
“The car seems to behave better at this circuit, and we managed to reach Q2 for the third time this season. The penalties for the others will allow us to start further up the grid than our actual performance would suggest,” Fernando Alonso explained.
The three-place improvement means Fernando Alonso will line up 12th rather than 15th for the United States Grand Prix. While that provides a more favourable starting position, the Aston Martin driver acknowledged that the grid penalties benefiting him do not reflect a corresponding improvement in the car’s outright competitiveness.
Fernando Alonso expects to defend rather than attack in the United States GP
Despite the encouraging signs from qualifying, Fernando Alonso believes the race could prove considerably more challenging. The Spaniard expects Aston Martin to focus primarily on protecting its position rather than making significant progress through the field.
“I think we’ll mainly have to defend our position rather than try to gain more places. However, unexpected things always happen at Austin, and it could be an interesting race,” Fernando Alonso admitted.
His assessment reflects a cautious approach to the Grand Prix. Starting 12th gives Fernando Alonso an opportunity to compete closer to the points-paying positions, but maintaining that position could prove difficult if his rivals demonstrate stronger race pace.
The unpredictable nature of racing at the Circuit of the Americas nevertheless offers some encouragement. Austin’s combination of fast corners, heavy braking zones and technical sections can produce opportunities over a race distance, although Fernando Alonso is not assuming that those opportunities will necessarily favour Aston Martin.
The layout presents contrasting demands for the drivers and their cars, as explained in the 2026 United States Grand Prix circuit and race weekend guide.
Lance Stroll struggles with rear grip and oversteer in Q1
It was a more difficult qualifying session for Lance Stroll, who was once again eliminated in Q1. While Fernando Alonso managed to progress to the second part of qualifying, the Canadian struggled to find sufficient stability and grip from the rear of his Aston Martin.
“I struggled quite a lot with oversteer and a lack of rear-end grip,” Lance Stroll explained.
The contrasting performances leave Aston Martin with work to do ahead of the United States Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso has a more promising grid position thanks to his rivals’ penalties, but his comments suggest that defending that advantage could be the team’s main challenge when the race begins.
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