Aston Martin’s pre-season preparation period has probably not gone exactly as they would have liked, but star driver Fernando Alonso thinks they will quickly catch up.
Following the shocking news from Lance Stroll that Aston Martin are four seconds behind the leading cars, three days of testing were completed by the team that delivered nothing but underwhelming results.
Both Alonso and Stroll sat dead last in terms of best lap times around Sakhir for the week, with 21st-placed Alonso almost a full second behind 20th-placed Arvid Lindblad in the Racing Bulls car.
And yet, there is some hope.
Fernando Alonso outlines Aston Martin’s ‘clear path of improvement’
Fernando Alonso, at 44, has a tenure in Formula One so long that it predates some of his F1 rivals’ births.
Speaking to Sky Sports after his team’s disappointing testing attempts, the Spaniard reinforced his immense faith in new team principal Adrian Newey and where the project is going as a whole.
“[Adrian Newey is providing] all the things we need [as a team]. He has the experience. He has been in better times, tougher times, and I think we have a clear path of improvement.”
The risks that the team has taken following a 2025 season that saw a seventh-placed finish in the World Constructors’ Championship, it could eventually pay off if Aston Martin is to improve in the power department.
We are not far removed from when Alonso was fighting with the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Pérez for podiums back at the start of 2023, a season where Aston Martin finished with 280 points compared to 2025’s 89.
Now approaching the other half of his 40s, Alonso’s El Plan needs to work quicker than ever.