Fernando Alonso arrives in Monaco fully aware that this race is unique and could spring plenty of surprises, but he maintains a highly realistic approach given Aston Martin’s current form and operational struggles. It has been an undeniably negative start to the campaign, a situation that is unlikely to be resolved purely by the unique nature of the Monte Carlo street circuit. However, the Spanish driver remains curious and hopeful about confirming recent progress made by Aston Martin across various areas, while also hoping the team has permanently resolved some issues that would prove incredibly costly around Monaco.
In Canada, the main talking point centered around the AMR22’s seat, which caused Fernando Alonso significant discomfort and physical pain. The Spaniard explained that the team reacted quickly to rectify his driving position, holding several meetings and conducting extensive factory work following the Montreal weekend to get to the bottom of the issue.
“We worked on it last week, trying out several different driving positions, and I dropped by the factory on Tuesday to work on it directly,” Alonso explained. “We evaluated four different configurations and in the end, we went back to the position we used in 2025—no more experiments. We are now back to a baseline we know well, and I am very calm and optimistic that the issue we saw in Canada has been resolved.”
According to Alonso, it was not a radical overhaul but a matter of minute details that can make a monumental difference in Formula 1. “We are talking about one or two millimeters of difference in the seat angle or at certain pressure points around the pelvis area. These are details that can compress nerves and make you lose feeling. Looking at the seats from recent years, they seem practically identical, but after 20 or 30 laps you really start to notice the differences.”
The Spaniard also pointed out how a lack of mileage during pre-season testing compounded these issues, responding to questions from journalists at the circuit, including AutoRacer. “Our longest long run in Bahrain was just eight laps. In some respects, we are still in a preparation phase. If we had been fighting for points in Canada, I probably would have kept driving.”
The Newey philosophy and Aston Martin’s development direction
Alonso confirmed that these challenges are also tied to the technical philosophy introduced by Adrian Newey, which pushes Aston Martin to continuously explore aggressive new avenues, even if it means weathering some immediate difficulties. “Adrian always wants to find the absolute limit, and once it is found, take half a step back. That is his way of working. It doesn’t just affect one area of the car, but multiple aspects of the project. We know that by reverting to more traditional solutions we could perhaps find immediate performance, but we prefer to stick to this philosophy because we believe it can unlock far more potential in the near future.”
Looking ahead to the Monegasque weekend, Alonso maintains an extremely grounded perspective. “If we look at the opening races of the season, I would say there aren’t many chances to score points. The top ten places seem firmly locked down by the five top teams, and whenever one of them drops the ball, there is always someone else ready to step up, like Haas in China or Racing Bulls on other occasions. Breaking into the top ten is very difficult. Furthermore, we aren’t normally sitting 13th or 14th; we are usually down in 20th or 21st.”
Despite the grim outlook, Monaco remains a standalone circuit where driver skill and specific track characteristics can help mask car deficits. “I prefer racing here than in Montreal. As a team, we have to put everything together. If we were still suffering from the downshifting issues we saw in Miami, we would end up in the wall at the very first braking zone here. If we had the reliability problems from the start of the season, being in Monaco wouldn’t change a thing. This is why we have worked incredibly hard over the past two weeks.”
One of the areas causing the team the most anxiety is the gearbox, which continues to be a critical weak point on the car. “We have been struggling with the gearbox since Miami. Monaco is not the right place to have a random downshift or a rear lock-up. Sometimes you select a gear and the engine reacts unexpectedly. It is something we absolutely must fix, and Monaco will tell us if we are on the right track.”
Qualifying remains paramount in Monte Carlo
Regarding the new regulations and energy management of the 2026 machinery, Alonso does not expect any major operational revolutions in the Principality. “I don’t think we will see many overtakes, maybe one or two in the entire race. Monaco remains Monaco, and qualifying will still be the most important part of the weekend. The final order will be determined primarily on Saturday. Even from an energy standpoint, I don’t think much will change. We have always had plenty of energy capacity here, and in recent years we already had almost full deployment throughout the lap.”
The entire focus therefore shifts to Saturday afternoon, where driver confidence and adapting to rapid track evolution will decide the grid. “If you make it into Q3, you have a good shot at scoring points. Tomorrow we need to work methodically, build up confidence, and unlock performance from the car. The track surface changes constantly over the weekend, and when qualifying arrives, you also have to improvise a bit. You never know exactly what the grip will be like or what the tire temperatures will be, and with 22 cars on track, traffic is going to be a massive factor. However, on the things we can actually control, I expect the best team performance we’ve seen all year.”
Fernando Alonso’s realistic approach ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix therefore highlights the technical tightrope Aston Martin is currently walking. Success over the weekend will entirely hinge on whether the team’s intensive factory work has successfully cured their critical gearbox and cockpit gremlins, allowing their veteran driver to confidently attack the limit on Saturday.
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