Aston Martin has provided an update on Fernando Alonso’s seat problems that forced the two-time world champion to retire from the Canadian Grand Prix after just 23 laps. The 43-year-old Spaniard was compelled to end his race early due to mounting discomfort caused by his seat position, which made him increasingly uncomfortable as the Montreal race progressed.
Team principal Mike Krack revealed that Aston Martin conducted extensive work with Alonso on Tuesday morning ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, implementing numerous variations to address the cockpit issues. The seat problems had also affected Alonso during the sprint race in Montreal, though it remains unclear whether the issues stem from his qualifying crash for the sprint event.
Krack explained that resolving the seat position involves far more complexity than simply adjusting one component. “You cannot just change one thing, because then you need to change the pedals, you need to check the regulation height and all these kinds of things, the steering wheel distance,” the team’s chief trackside officer told media. He emphasized that it requires “a complete set of changes” rather than a single modification.
While Alonso expressed mild confidence that the adjustments represent an improvement, Krack acknowledged that further tweaks may be necessary during the Monaco practice sessions. The team principal noted that static testing doesn’t always replicate real driving conditions, making on-track evaluation crucial for determining whether the modifications have successfully resolved the Silverstone-based team’s cockpit comfort issues.