Fernando Alonso begs for key Aston Martin change as F1 giant admits ‘hide’ concern

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Fernando Alonso is fast approaching the end of his second season with Aston Martin but the two-time Formula 1 champion has a big concern he is desperate to see fixed.

The Silverstone squad flew out of the gates as the surprise package on the grid in 2023 after Alonso joined. But their instant success with the Spaniard sat beside Lance Stroll has proven to be short-lived with Aston Martin seldom able to replicate those strong results this season.

Aston Martin were one of the best Formula 1 outfits at the start of last term as Alonso took six podiums in the first eight races. He added two further rostrums to the 43-year-old’s tally before the year was up, too. But Alonso and Aston Martin’s best result in 2024 is fifth place.

Fernando Alonso urges Aston Martin to improve after street tracks hid their problems

Alonso further gave Aston Martin their best result so far this season in round two with P5 in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Stroll’s best result in 18 rounds was his P6 from the Australian Grand Prix in round three. The 25-year-old has even failed to score points over the past five.

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Aston Martin have at least added to their points tally through Alonso in the past five rounds. But his P6 finish in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was Alonso and Aston Martin’s top result since he achieved that in the Canadian Grand Prix. It also helped them that Baku is a street circuit.

The Singapore Grand Prix also being a street circuit further helped Alonso and Aston Martin claim P8 thanks also he feels to qualifying in P7. So, the Oviedo native is quick to remind his team that Aston Martin cannot let the profits of street tracks hide their performance deficit.

Alonso stated, via Formule1.NL: “We are losing a bit of ground to the top teams all the time. We are stuck in the midfield. We really need to change that.

“In the last two races, we qualified well and, because they were street circuits, we were able to protect our positions quite well. But that doesn’t hide the lack of performance.”

Aston Martin are in no man’s land after seeing McLaren emerge as F1’s best team

Aston Martin are mired in the midfield this season with the top four teams miles clear of the Silverstone squad, who rank comfortably clear of the bottom five crews. Alonso and Stroll so far have taken 62 and 24 points respectively to see Aston Martin sit fifth in the teams’ table.

McLaren (516), Red Bull (475), Ferrari (441) and Mercedes (329) are in a different league to Aston Martin (86) in the constructors’ championship. But they are comfortably atop the in-effect Formula 1.5 table to Visa Cash App RB (34), Haas (31), Williams (16) and Alpine (13).

After 18 rounds last term thanks largely to Alonso’s sensational start with Aston Martin, the team left the United States Grand Prix slipping to fifth in the constructors’ table as McLaren rose up. Yet their fight for fourth place saw McLaren boast 242 points to Aston Martin’s 236.

McLaren would ultimately win the battle with 302 points over Aston Martin’s 280. But while the Woking crew have built on their results last year to now lead the constructors’ standings with 516 points over Red Bull on 475, Aston Martin have fallen further away from the front.