Aston Martin Surprise at the Hungarian Grand Prix as Brundle Notes ‘Completely Different Car’
The Hungarian Grand Prix represents the crucial midpoint of the Formula 1 calendar, serving as the final race before the summer break. As teams prepared to head into the second half of the season, many were determined to finish the first stretch on a strong note.
One of the biggest shocks of the weekend came from Ferrari, who unexpectedly secured pole position with Charles Leclerc during qualifying. This result defied expectations after McLaren had dominated the practice sessions and appeared almost untouchable in terms of pace.
Leclerc delivered a sensational final lap in Q3, narrowly edging out Oscar Piastri by just 0.026 seconds in the final moments of the session. Meanwhile, Lando Norris was unable to improve his time. The session went down as one of the closest in Formula 1’s 75-year history, with the top six drivers separated by a mere tenth of a second—an extraordinary display of competitive parity.
Among those top six were the Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, a significant turnaround for the team following their disappointing showing at the Belgian Grand Prix, where they had qualified last. The team’s dramatic resurgence in Budapest has captured attention across the paddock and media alike.
Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle was among those impressed by the Silverstone-based outfit, which has now accumulated 542 points in its Formula 1 history. Speaking during coverage of the qualifying session, Brundle remarked that Aston Martin appeared to have brought a substantially improved package to Hungary.
Alonso continued his dominance over his teammate in qualifying, maintaining a perfect 14-0 head-to-head record against Stroll so far in the 2025 season. The two-time world champion is set to start Sunday’s race from an impressive fifth on the grid, a testament to both his consistency and the team’s progress.
Aston Martin seemed to excel as track conditions evolved throughout qualifying. Lance Stroll, in particular, found considerable pace, improving his lap time by four tenths of a second in Q2. The team’s AMR25 car appeared to handle the downforce-heavy demands of the Hungaroring far better than in recent weeks.
Martin Brundle observed that the Aston Martin looked entirely transformed around the Budapest circuit. According to the veteran commentator, the car seemed significantly more stable and responsive, giving the impression that it was far more ‘planted’ on the track than before. He suggested that the team had clearly made substantial setup or development changes to achieve such a noticeable step forward.
In addition to the team’s performance, Fernando Alonso reached a personal milestone at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Just days after celebrating his 45th birthday, Alonso became the first driver since two-time world champion Graham Hill to compete in Formula 1 after turning 44. With Sunday’s race marking his 415th Grand Prix start, Fernando Alonso further cemented his legacy as one of the sport’s most enduring figures.
Martin Brundle also highlighted Alonso’s extraordinary longevity, pointing out that the Spaniard has now participated in over 40% of all Formula 1 races in history—an astonishing statistic that underscores the scale of his career.
Although Fernando Alonso missed the opening practice session in Hungary due to discomfort caused by a muscle issue in his back, he returned for FP2 and participated in all remaining sessions over the weekend. His strong qualifying performance served as further proof of his resilience and the progress made by the team.
Aston Martin’s revival in Hungary not only positions them well heading into the summer break but also raises questions about how competitive they might become in the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
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