Fernando Alonso discusses Aston Martin's rough start to 2025 ahead of Miami Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso Admits Aston Martin's Tough Start to 2025 Season

MIAMI, FL — Two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso has opened up about Aston Martin's struggles in the early stages of the 2025 season, calling the team's performance "more difficult than expected" and bracing for another challenging outing at this weekend's Miami Grand Prix.

Alonso Endures Pointless Start to 2025

The 43-year-old Spaniard currently sits a puzzling 17th in the drivers' championship, failing to score a single point after five races—the first time he’s started a season pointless since 2017. Meanwhile, Aston Martin holds seventh place in the constructors’ standings, benefiting only from Lance Stroll’s 10-point contributions in Australia and China. Aston remains just four points shy of the bottom of the table.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Alonso admitted the team has yet to find answers for their inefficiencies in 2025.

“We are not as competitive as we want to be, [or] we thought we’d be, but I think there is not only one theme,” Alonso explained. “There are a couple of factors that make the car a little bit difficult at the moment, in terms of pace, and maybe [it’s] not as fast as some of the midfield [teams] that … raised the level and are closer to the top four, and we didn’t make that step.”

He continued, emphasizing the urgency for improvement: “We need to react, we need to do things better, and hopefully in the next few races we have a step forward. But yeah, it has been more difficult than expected.”

Miami Challenges Await Aston Martin

Adding to Aston’s woes, the Miami International Autodrome has rarely proved fruitful for Alonso or his teammate Lance Stroll. Despite Alonso securing a podium finish at the venue during Aston Martin’s strong showing in 2023, more recent outings have been less inspired. Last year, Alonso managed only a ninth-place finish after qualifying 15th, while Stroll’s best result at Miami—a 10th place—came back in 2022.

Alonso reflected on the challenge Miami poses for Aston:

“I think Miami has not been really a good track for us, even in '23 with a podium here, we only came alive in qualy—all the free practices were a little bit uncompetitive for our standards in '23 at the beginning of the year,” he said. “And last year also, even if we started the season strong, especially in qualy, Miami was difficult. So yeah, let’s see if we change things this year, but it could be a tough weekend, for sure.”

Looking Toward 2026: Hopes for Regulation Changes

Despite the lackluster form this season, Alonso remains optimistic about Aston Martin’s long-term prospects, particularly as Formula 1 prepares for sweeping regulation changes in 2026. The new rules will see increased vehicle electrification and downsized dimensions, which could shake up the running order and offer a clean slate for struggling teams.

Aston Martin has also taken a bold strategic step by signing Adrian Newey, the legendary F1 designer responsible for twelve constructors’ championship-winning cars, as the team's new managing technical partner.

“I’m not too worried about next year’s [car],” Alonso stated. “I think this year is just a continuation of some of the problems that we found in the last two seasons, and we were not able to overcome some of the obstacles that we found.

“For next year, with the new regulations and Adrian on board, I think nothing of this year’s car is going to be into next year’s project, so it’s a complete reset. So I’m not too concerned for next year. And for this year, I think the fix is not as straightforward, and there’s nothing we can do from night to day.”

Immediate Focus Remains on 2025

While Alonso remains hopeful about 2026 and Aston Martin’s future potential under Newey’s leadership, the immediate focus lies on stemming the tide of poor results in 2025. With the Miami Grand Prix shaping up to be another uphill battle, Aston Martin must find answers quickly if they hope to climb out of their slump before the midpoint of the season.

This weekend’s sprint format will provide additional opportunities for the team to get a handle on its issues—but if Alonso’s assessment of Miami proves accurate, a turnaround may not come soon.

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