Alonso Makes Bitter Aston Martin Admission After Tough U.S. GP

Fernando Alonso delivered a brutally honest assessment of Aston Martin's performance after the U.S. Grand Prix, claiming the team was the ninth quickest on the grid and facing an even tougher road ahead. Despite salvaging a single point with a P10 finish, Alonso described the Austin race as one of the team's most challenging weekends of the year.

Why it matters:

Aston Martin's recent downturn, highlighted by Alonso's candid remarks, signals a significant challenge for the team as the F1 season progresses. Once seen as a strong contender at the start of the year, their struggle to maintain pace exposes fundamental limitations of the AMR25, potentially impacting their Constructors' Championship standing and morale.

The Details:

• U.S. GP Performance: Alonso stated to GPblog, "Probably we are ninth today because I don't feel who is the ninth and the tenth team." He identified Alpine as the only team clearly struggling more, with Haas, Sauber, and Williams all demonstrating superior pace.
• AMR25 Limitations: The team arrived in Texas with low expectations, acknowledging the AMR25's struggles on both high-speed sections and bumpy circuits.
• Conservative Setup: Aston Martin opted for a conservative setup, prioritizing tire management and reliability, but still lacked the raw pace to compete effectively within the midfield.
• Points Scored: Despite the poor pace, Alonso managed to secure one point, finishing P10, which he considered "a good result" given the circumstances.

Looking Ahead:

Alonso anticipates even greater difficulties for Aston Martin in the upcoming races, particularly Mexico and Las Vegas, which he believes will be the toughest remaining tracks.

• Mexico and Las Vegas: "On paper I think Mexico and Vegas are the worst of the remaining and Brazil and Qatar maybe the best. So I think Mexico, if we score a point or two in Mexico, that will be very welcome," Alonso warned.
• Team Outlook: His comments underline a grim outlook for the team's immediate future, suggesting that even scoring a single point will be a significant achievement in the most challenging races.