Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin): Finally saying goodbye to the current car!

Finishing 19th, two laps down, and with his team-mate Lance Stroll retiring, the Belgian Grand Prix went as badly as usual for Fernando Alonso. The Aston Martin driver said: “We’ve been in the same situation for eleven (note: it was ten in 2026) races, so this race was no different. Hopefully we were able to gather some data for the team – for the aerodynamics and powertrain departments. We made a few changes on Saturday evening, of course – the battery and some new components. Hopefully it was a good test for all these components, so that we’re ready for next weekend.”

Major changes in Budapest

Because then the turnaround might finally come – at least that’s what Fernando Alonso and his entire team are hoping. Will the XXL upgrade finally turn the ‘green cucumber’ into a competitive car?

A look back at the start of the season: Aston Martin had entered the new 2026 regulations cycle with high expectations: a fresh start with completely new rules. To this end, the team had brought design icon Adrian Newey on board and secured a promising engine deal with Honda. Both had enjoyed great success in the past – but the plan didn’t work out. The car struggled with major problems. Severe vibrations caused Aston Martin to miss several days of testing, and the team fell further and further behind due to reduced track time. Aston Martin couldn’t even finish the first few Grands Prix. Thanks to other teams’ misfortune, and aided by retirements and penalties, Alonso did at least score the team’s first point in Monaco. Reliability improved – but the car remained inferior. Upgrades were slow to arrive, whilst the rest of the field improved their cars. The long wait for the summer. Now, in Budapest, the new car for Aston Martin and Alonso is finally here.

Is Alonso glad to finally be parting ways with his old car? The Spaniard said: “Of course! We’ve been struggling with it for many races now. It will be the first race in which we compete with an updated package. I’m looking forward to getting the most out of FP1, FP2 and FP3. It will be crucial for us to understand the handling and set-up of this car and to learn as much as possible.” Sounds cautious at first…

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