Fernando Alonso expressed mounting frustration with Aston Martin’s ongoing struggles after qualifying 21st for the Monaco Grand Prix, describing the team’s persistent problems as “annoying” and “fundamental.” The two-time world champion could only manage the second-to-last grid position despite hopes that Monaco’s unique characteristics might help mask the AMR26’s deficiencies.
The Spanish driver outpaced teammate Lance Stroll by 0.712 seconds but remained rooted near the bottom of the timesheet, having placed 20th in both Friday practice sessions before sliding further back on Saturday. Alonso emphasized that setup changes cannot address what he considers deeper, structural issues with the car that extend beyond simple adjustments to ride height or anti-roll bars.
Alonso highlighted specific technical problems plaguing the AMR26, including severe gearbox issues that compromise both upshifts and downshifts. “The downshifts are very difficult, upshifts as well. We lose gear-sync when we are slow in a corner,” he explained to media including RacingNews365. The veteran driver also cited a lack of front-end grip as a critical weakness, stating the front axle “is not really working” and “not biting” – particularly problematic at Monaco where precision and confidence near the barriers are essential.
The Aston Martin struggles represent a significant downturn for a team that showed promise in recent seasons. Alonso admitted the repetitive nature of poor weekend results has become particularly frustrating, noting that without major updates expected before summer, the team faces continued battles at the back of the grid. Despite the challenging circumstances, the 42-year-old maintains his commitment to extracting maximum performance from the available machinery while acknowledging the limitations of internal competition with only Stroll as a direct comparison point.