As the 2025 F1 season wrapped up in Abu Dhabi, Fernando Alonso reflected on Aston Martin’s progress and the team’s chances under the upcoming 2026 regulations.
When asked whether he still believed Aston Martin had the best package for 2026 — a statement he made when signing his last contract — Alonso restated his confidence.
“Yes, I think so,” he said.
He pointed to the team’s upgraded facilities and shared the improvements with enthusiasm.
“The factory is completed, the wind tunnel is brand new and completed. We are using it.”
He also emphasised the strength of the personnel by referring to people like Adrisn Newey, Andy Cowell, and Enrico Cardille as “great people and great talent in the factory.”
Guaranteed success in the future for Aston Martin
Alonso also seemed optimistic and assured that Aston Martin’s success in F1 is a matter of time. Whether it happens in 2026 remains to be seen.
“People are just a few months into the system. It will be enough these few months. We need one full season to glue everything together,” he explained.
“That’s the thing. Aston Martin will succeed. For me, it’s a guarantee. The biggest question is when. That’s what we all try to do, to make it as soon as possible.”
The influence of new regulations on racing
The conversation then turned to the 2026 regulations and whether they would favor strategic and clever drivers like himself.
Alonso admitted the outcome was uncertain, “I don’t know. It depends,” he admitted.“Obviously, you always can play a little bit with the tools you have in your hands.”
He reflected on how strategy and experience can influence races in the current environment, noting, “Lately, because the cars are more difficult to follow now, if you’re qualifying well, you can keep cars behind,”
He referenced Qatar, where he finished seventh. In his Aston Martin F1 car, Fernando Alonso held off Isack Hadjar and George Russell almost all race until he had a costly spin.
“Even if you don’t have pace, as you saw in Qatar probably, it’s not that I want to have 15 cars behind. I would love to be 5 seconds margin. Like this, I stop and I don’t have any cars behind, but I cannot pull away from cars.”
Mindful use of skills
The Aston Martin driver stressed the importance of experience and where to push to the limit to avoid getting overtaken.
“You use your experience in different ways, in different corners, to make sure that you are not overtaken.“
But at the end of the day, it’s a new beginning with new features, a new car, and new rules; new features can yield unique results, Alonso added, “So next year, it could be the same thing with the energy deployment, that you can use it here and there and have unexpected results.”
Despite acknowledging the strategic advantages the rules may offer, Fernando Alonso remained philosophical about the limits of such tactics.
“You cannot be proud to finish 7th or 6th by using your brain 200%. I prefer not using my brain and win all the races with 20 seconds.”
