Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin’s recent upgrade package marks “a big step forward,” putting pressure on the team after a difficult start to the Formula One season.
Aston Martin has endured a difficult start to the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Lance Stroll managed to secure 14 points in the opening two races, but Aston Martin was one of the slowest teams in the first part of the season.
The upgrades introduced at the Emilia Romana Grand Prix have seen Aston Martin increase the pecking order even if they can’t score points.
Surprisingly, Alonso hasn’t yet won the mark in 2025.
If the strategy is bad, Alonso and the walk will take a walk through Imola.
Alonso scored a top eight finish at Monte Carlo before engine issues.
With Adrian Newey joining the team this year and team owner Lawrence Stroll being a big investment, there are high expectations for the Silverstone-based outfit.
After finishing 10th in his home race at Barcelona, Alonso spoke proactively about Aston Martin’s recent advancements.
“It reduces a bit of pressure from the shoulder,” Alonso told Barcelona’s media.
“The Imola package was a step forward, but I didn’t know how much. We were in Barcelona to answer that question. I think the answer is positive.
“The answer is that it’s a significant advancement, and that at least on a regular racetrack, the car could be in the third quarter battle. That’s clearly a different story from Premiami.”
It appeared Alonso was planning to qualify for more than 10 times.
After his first run in the third quarter, Alonso was in the top five before dropping his order.
Like Charles Leclerc, Alonso had one set of tires left in the final part of the qualifying round.
“No more,” Alonso added. “If you enter the third quarter with a very short lap within a tenth of a tenth, you’ll be the seventh or tenth. Unfortunately, we’re the third. I’m happy. I’m in the top 10 positions throughout the weekend.
“This was a real test for us. I think we used medium tires in Imola, so it’s a special place in Monaco. Barcelona – the truth comes out in Barcelona.
“In Miami, it was probably the 10th fastest team. We finished 20 seconds behind Sauber in the race, so it’s definitely a few steps in the right direction.”