A season of highs and lows for Alonso and Stroll, but updates and the Newey effect seem to be working: has Aston Martin finally found its balance?
The winter at Aston Martin brought enthusiasm and high expectations, with Fernando Alonso describing the new car as “a step forward” compared to 2024, which ended in fifth place as the best of the rest. However, the opening races quickly revealed a far more complicated reality.
Adrian Newey’s involvement starting in March, although entirely focused on the 2026 car, along with the opening of the new wind tunnel, has provided the team with valuable insights and a boost of confidence in the long-term project. In the short term, however, several problems persist.
The car
The AMR25 has struggled immensely to show its potential in the opening races of the season. Alonso and Stroll have described the car as “slow in every area” and often uncompetitive compared to their midfield rivals.
The update brought to Imola, however, turned the season around for Andy Cowell’s team: Alonso immediately impressed with a qualifying fifth, and although he didn’t finish the race in the points, he said he was “proud of an upgrade package much better than I expected.” From that moment on, the team began to find more consistency, climbing to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship and closing the gap with Haas and Williams.
The drivers
Even at 44, Fernando Alonso retains the fighting spirit that defines him. The start of the season was unlucky, with a streak of races without points that seemed endless, so much so that the Spaniard himself had stated that “the team needs to get used to not scoring points.”
The Imola update improved the season, and despite a few more unlucky races (such as the retirement in Monaco), Alonso scored points in four consecutive races from Spain to Silverstone before achieving the best result of the year in Hungary with a fifth-place finish.
Lance Stroll, on the other hand, had a more consistent start to the season, scoring points in the first two races. However, he also faced difficulties, such as the Monaco weekend and missing the Barcelona race. Despite the biases that much of the Formula 1 world (unfortunately) holds against him, Stroll is level on points with Alonso in 11th place in the Drivers’ Championship, making this so far the year in which the two have been closest in terms of results.
Best race
The most recent race in Hungary represents the high point of Aston Martin’s season so far. Both Alonso and Stroll reached Q3 and scored points, with Alonso’s fifth-place finish being the best result of the year. These valuable points help in the standings, demonstrate the progress of the package, and boost the morale of the entire team.
Worst race
The Monaco weekend was probably the most frustrating: Alonso retired due to power unit issues while running in the top 10, hunting for his first points of the season, while Stroll finished a distant 15th after receiving two grid penalties for incidents with Leclerc and Gasly.
What to expect from the rest of the season
With Newey already focused on 2026 and the new wind tunnel operational, Aston Martin can be optimistic about the medium- to long-term future. As for 2025, the goal is to consistently score points, as seen in recent races (except Spa), and to challenge Williams to reclaim fifth place in the standings, currently 18 points away.
A reinvigorated Alonso will continue to lead the project’s growth with his experience, while Stroll will need to be as consistent as possible to contribute to the team’s points tally.
Photo: Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team
