Damon Hill thinks Fernando Alonso has a unique opportunity compared to his rivals in F1 testing

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Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso could end up being the wildcard in the fight for the drivers’ championship this season.

There are high hopes for Mercedes after their promising start to the year at the Barcelona shakedown, with many believing they have the most effective power unit.

That will keep reigning constructors’ champions McLaren in contention, while Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time at the Circuit de Catalunya for Ferrari, and Red Bull looked very good with their new engine.

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However, by far the most exciting moment during the week-long outing in Barcelona was when Aston Martin’s car finally took to the track on Thursday.

Only Williams completed fewer laps than Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, and that’s because they missed the shakedown completely.

Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert have been previewing the rest of the testing schedule and the 2026 campaign in general, and with two more outings in Bahrain to come, they think Alonso could be allowed a unique approach to his preparations that might give him a distinct advantage.

READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Damon Hill thinks Fernando Alonso has more control over his F1 testing program than his rivals

Speaking on the Stay on Track Podcast, Herbert and Hill were looking at how testing has changed since they were in Formula 1.

Herbert said: “I think it’s very different, but we had that freedom to do that, and we were very important in that test as well, weren’t we?

“We were the computer; the data back then was sort of quite small.”

​​Hill replied: “I don’t know if any current F1 drivers or reserve drivers listen to us, but if they would like to challenge us on our impression of what they’re up to and what they’re allowed to do when they’re testing, then I’d love to hear from them.

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“I think we had the freedom to play, and I learned a lot from that when I was driving.

“And now I don’t know what state, what position they’re in. I mean, someone like Fernando is probably able to do what the hell he likes, but you know, younger drivers probably are following the instructions of the team.”

Herbert concluded: “I think it’s a program and it’s a program they have to stick to to make sure they’re getting the right data that they can analyse to then improve the car if they can before they go to the first race.”

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Aston Martin are facing engine and fuel issues going into the 2026 Formula 1 season

Adrian Newey has taken over as team principal of Aston Martin alongside his role of overseeing the design of the AMR26.

It’s a huge responsibility for one person to take on, and he was pushing the limits of Aston Martin’s ability to build their 2026 machine, hence their late arrival in Barcelona.

However, Aston Martin’s car contains ‘extreme’ parts that none of their rivals have matched, and in the hands of Alonso, it could be a real contender.

Unfortunately, there are aspects of Aston Martin’s car that are out of Newey’s control that could hamper their championship aspirations.

There are concerns about the Honda power unit and Aramco’s fuel that will be essential to any team’s success during this era of the sport.

Alonso is experienced enough to know exactly what he needs to do in Bahrain to get the car and himself ready for the Australian Grand Prix.

It’s up to Aston Martin and Honda to match his ambitions with time running out on his F1 career.