Fernando Alonso: “Zero positives” from Monaco GP as Aston Martin’s list of weaknesses grows

Fernando Alonso: “Zero Positives” from Monaco GP as Aston Martin Confronts Growing Technical Challenges

Double Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso expressed concerns about Aston Martin’s expanding list of technical issues following a challenging performance at the Monaco Grand Prix, where the team secured its first points of the 2026 season under difficult circumstances.

Aston Martin continues to struggle in the 2026 campaign, arriving late to winter testing and uncovering multiple car and Honda engine deficiencies that have limited on-track progress. While the team seemed to resolve vibration issues affecting race performance, Alonso highlighted that new weaknesses emerge at every circuit: power delivery in Australia, energy management in China, chassis stability in Monaco, and gearbox reliability in Canada and Miami.

“We found weaknesses at every track,” Alonso stated after finishing 10th in Monaco despite post-race penalties. “The Monaco circuit specifically exposed significant chassis issues.” His tenth-place result came through strategic safety car timing that elevated him from a 21st qualifying position, though the team remained over three seconds off Red Bull’s pace.

Despite the setback, Alonso emphasized the importance of identifying technical gaps. “Now that we understand where we need to improve, we can start addressing each problem systematically,” he said. “We have a clear plan to tackle power, aerodynamics, and mechanical components step by step over the remainder of the season.”

The team’s technical leadership, including recently promoted principal Adrian Newey, is spearheading development efforts. Newey participated in Monaco’s testing sessions, carefully analyzing driver feedback to develop targeted updates. Alonso noted Newey’s forward-looking approach: “He’s developing solutions not just for Monaco’s street circuit, but for upcoming challenges in Singapore as well.” Alvarez praised the technical staff: “We have the best resources in the garage – the more time we spend collaborating with the engineers, the better our performance will become.”

While acknowledging the significant challenges ahead, Alonso remains internally optimistic. “Our understanding of the problems is now complete,” he stated. “It won’t be a quick fix, but we’re confident that through continuous development, we can transform the car’s performance.”

Fernando Alonso finished 10th in Monaco

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

The growing list of issues that Aston has uncovered came as it qualified 21st and 22nd in Monaco, with both drivers more than three seconds down on the pole position time set by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. Tight strategy and safety car timings helped Alonso to climb from 21st to 11th at the flag, before a penalty for Cadillac’s Sergio Perez promoted him to 10th. While further points may be hard to come by over the coming races, the Spaniard remains optimistic that now his team has identified its problems, Aston can start working on solutions and unlocking performance.

“First and foremost, the team’s ability to debug the car remains critical,” added team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa. “This single point represents our starting position, but there’s still a massive effort required to compete consistently. The key is maintaining unity and patience as we systematically address each weakness.”

With Adrian Newey already demonstrating his strategic mindset by developing circuit-specific upgrades, Alonso expresses qualified confidence. “We’re in a better position than at the start of the year,” he concluded. “But let’s be honest – the Spanish Grand Prix will likely be just as challenging as Monaco. The most important thing now is persistent, targeted development.”

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