Fernando Alonso has described Aston Martin’s latest upgrade package as “a significant leap forward,” increasing expectations for the team after a challenging start to the 2025 Formula One season. Despite a tough beginning, where Lance Stroll only accumulated 14 points in the first two races and the team ranked among the slowest, the new improvements introduced at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix have helped Aston Martin climb the ranks, even if they haven’t yet secured points consistently.
Interestingly, Alonso has yet to claim a race win in 2025. Strategic missteps at Imola hampered his performance, although he did achieve a top-eight finish in Monaco before facing engine troubles. With the addition of renowned technical expert Adrian Newey and strong backing from team owner Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin is under considerable pressure to deliver results.
After finishing 10th at his home race in Barcelona, Alonso expressed optimism about the team’s progress. He explained to local media that the upgrades eased some of the pressure and revealed that the Barcelona race was a test to gauge how much improvement the new package brought. The results were encouraging, showing the car could compete in the third quarter of the grid on conventional circuits, marking a clear improvement from previous performances like Miami.
During qualifying, Alonso briefly positioned himself in the top five before slipping back, managing to stay within the top 10 all weekend—a positive sign after limited tire options during the session. He acknowledged that, while Aston Martin was around the tenth fastest team in Miami and significantly behind Sauber, the recent developments represent meaningful progress for the Silverstone-based squad.
Fan Take: This update from Aston Martin is a promising development that injects fresh competition into the midfield battle, which racing fans have been craving. If Alonso and his team can build on these improvements, it could lead to more dynamic races and shake up the traditional hierarchy in Formula 1.
