Alonso Identifies Critical Aston Martin Gearbox Issue Ahead of Canadian GP

Fernando Alonso has flagged a persistent gearbox problem as the primary issue Aston Martin must resolve before the Canadian Grand Prix. Despite a season-best 15th-place finish in Miami, the two-time champion revealed the AMR26 suffered from erratic shifting throughout the weekend, a flaw he says will be severely punished on Montreal's demanding circuit. While acknowledging some team progress, Alonso stressed that fixing the gearbox's drivability, not outright performance, is the immediate priority.

Why it matters:

Reliable and predictable gear shifts are fundamental to driver confidence and car control, especially on a track like Circuit Gilles Villeneuve known for its heavy braking zones and chicanes. An unresolved gearbox issue could lead to missed shifts, compromised lap times, or even a terminal failure, jeopardizing any chance of points for a team already struggling at the back of the midfield.

The Details:

• Alonso reported the gearbox exhibited "very weird" behavior on both downshifts and upshifts throughout the Miami Grand Prix weekend, hampering control.
• He specified the problem is related to electronics or software calibration within the gearbox system, not the power unit's reliability.
• The driver emphasized that the circuit characteristics in Montreal, with its succession of heavy braking events into slow corners, make resolving this flaw the team's "fix number one."
• Alonso noted Aston Martin made improvements in some areas over the Miami weekend but conceded that a step forward in pure performance is not yet imminent, highlighting the need for team unity during this development phase.

What's next:

Aston Martin's engineers have a tight turnaround to diagnose and implement a fix for the gearbox's drivability before cars hit the track in Canada. Success in this area is critical for Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll to have a stable platform to build upon, even if the car lacks ultimate speed. The Canadian GP will serve as a direct test of the team's ability to react to critical technical feedback from its drivers.