Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin): Hopes for his home GP in Madrid?

The race at Monza was doubly disappointing for Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso retired on lap 25. Just three laps later, Lance Stroll came to a halt at the side of the track. A double DNF. Alonso had suffered damage to his car after hitting a kerb too hard. He pulled in to avoid causing further damage to the car. Stroll had a hydraulic problem. Yet another frustrating weekend for the Silverstone-based team. Will this coming weekend offer a ray of hope? After all, it’s a special race weekend for Alonso. The Spanish Grand Prix is his home race. The race takes place in Madrid, whilst 450 kilometres north-west of there, in Oviedo, Alonso was born 45 years ago.

Honda is pinning its hopes on Madrid

Shintaro Orihara, Trackside General Manager and Chief Engineer at Aston Martin’s engine supplier Honda, says of the race debut at the new circuit in the north-east of Madrid: “This is our first time at the Madring, a circuit with mixed characteristics, comprising a street circuit and a permanent racetrack. As always, drivability will play an important role. Since the introduction of the Spec 2 power unit, we’ve had two races with different characteristics, and we’ll be applying these insights this week in Madrid, particularly in the areas of drivability and energy management.”

There are cautious hopes, however, from Honda that the Madring should suit Aston Martin Honda better this weekend: “Overall, we believe that Madrid suits our package better, and we’ll be striving throughout the weekend to achieve the best possible position with the resources at our disposal.”

Will Alonso make a special announcement? A definite no!

For Fernando Alonso, it will certainly be a special race weekend: following the Catalan Grand Prix earlier this year, Madrid will mark his second home race of the year. Does the Spaniard, whose future in Formula 1 remains uncertain, have anything special to announce ahead of his home weekend?

Alonso made it clear after the race at Monza last weekend: “No. I’m looking forward to the upcoming races. We know there will be better race weekends and others where we’ll struggle. Perhaps the next race will be one of those opportunities.”

Topic of the week

2027 MotoGP grid: Almost a quarter of the riders are new – implications for SBK

The 2027 MotoGP grid will feature five new regular riders, with at least three of those dropped set to move to the World Superbike Championship. The ones to suffer as a result are Alvaro Bautista and Danilo Petrucci.

Read more

TV program

Live

Madrid: Das Rennen Re-Live

FIA Formula One World Championship

13.09.2026 - 17:15