Aston Martin endured another tough weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finishing a distant 15th and 17th.
The result left Alonso pointless after the first four races of 2025, his worst season start since 2017.
Alonso identified the core issue plaguing the team’s car, particularly in low-speed corners. “Low-speed sections were our weakest in Australia, Japan, and China,” he said to reporters. “Bahrain is dominated by low-speed corners, and it exposed our struggles most clearly. That’s where we’re focusing our efforts.”
The Spaniard explained the problem in detail: “It’s tough at corner exits and mid-corner. The car feels like it’s losing grip in low-speed sections, a recurring issue from last year that we haven’t fully solved.”
He added that while low-speed performance was the priority, the car needed improvements “a bit everywhere” to close the gap to rivals.
Despite the challenges, Alonso remained optimistic about upgrades in the pipeline. “We’re not sitting back,” he said. “We’re pushing hard to bring updates to the track as soon as we can.”
The team’s season has been a mixed bag. Stroll scored a solid sixth in the chaotic Australian Grand Prix and ninth in China, but Alonso retired from both races, crashing in Melbourne and suffering a brake failure in Shanghai. Bahrain’s tight, twisty layout only amplified their weaknesses.
Looking ahead to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Alonso expressed cautious hope. “Jeddah should suit us better,” he said, recalling last year’s strong showing where he qualified fourth and finished fifth. “But points will still be tough. The top four teams are untouchable right now, and Haas, Williams, and Racing Bulls are often ahead of us too.
“We’re fighting to be seventh or eighth best, and that makes scoring points a real challenge unless luck goes our way.”
Fans on X echoed Alonso’s frustrations, with many pointing to the team’s persistent low-speed issues. One user posted, “Aston’s car just can’t handle tight corners, same story as 2024.” Another urged the team to “sort the upgrades fast” ahead of Jeddah.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, set for April 20, will see drivers tackle 50 laps of the 6.174-kilometer Jeddah Corniche Circuit. For Aston Martin, it’s a chance to turn their season around, but only if they can unlock more pace.
