For Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin, 2024 was a disappointing year. After a promising start to 2023, crowned by several podiums, the team has taken a step back, unable to find the momentum to compete with the best. With the arrival of Adrian Newey and new technical regulations set for 2026, the Silverstone team is looking to the future with optimism. However, Alonso clearly expressed the need not to wait too long and to also focus on the immediate future.
From 2023 to the problems of 2024
“I think the 2026 target is on everyone’s mind at Aston Martin,” Fernando Alonso told the Spanish broadcaster Dazn. “There is great hope given the arrival of Adrian Newley, Enrico Cardile and other important names. The team will have a bright future, but what we are doing right now is not good enough. We need to make sure we change pace in 2025”.
Alonso, who in 2023 on his debut with Lawrence Stroll's team had rediscovered his competitiveness with a series of exciting podiums, has seen the 2024 season prove much more complicated. Aston Martin, already at the end of 2023, has been overtaken by McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes, without managing to replicate the performances of the beginning of the season.
For Alonso, this situation cannot be ignored: “I am doing everything I can to cope with the lack of speed,” he explained. “We have done a lot of work between Baku and Singapore. After free practice, we turned off the computers at two in the morning and the workload has reached levels never seen before, to try to find the answers we need.”
Fernando Alonso calls for immediate reaction from Aston Martin
Despite the excitement over the arrival of Adrian Newey, Alonso stressed that Aston Martin cannot afford to wait until 2026 to improve. “We are trying to put as much effort into improving the car as possible, but we realise that miracles cannot be achieved on the track and that you need the help of the people at the factory in terms of developing the car,” he said. “Unfortunately, the updates have not worked as they should, while our rivals have managed to improve much more than us. It’s quite simple.”
A promising future, but the work begins today
Alonso makes no secret of his ambition to compete at the highest level as early as 2025. Although the arrival of Newey and Cardile brings great expectations for the future, Alonso knows that success cannot be guaranteed without constant growth now. “We cannot afford to think only about the future,” Alonso reiterated. “We have to react immediately and make sure we have a competitive car for next season. Otherwise, we risk being left behind.”
Aston Martin's Challenge: Balancing Present and Future
Aston Martin is at a crossroads: preparing for the technical revolution of 2026, with the help of key figures such as Newey and Cardile, but without losing sight of the importance of immediate improvement. Alonso's message is clear: the team cannot afford to wait for the future without reacting in the present.
