Alonso Pinpoints Gearbox as Aston Martin's 'Fix Number One' After Miami

Fernando Alonso has singled out Aston Martin's gearbox as the team's primary issue to resolve for the Canadian Grand Prix, following a Miami weekend where reliability, not performance, was the sole positive. The two-time champion delivered a sobering assessment of the team's immediate prospects, stating no significant performance upgrades are expected until after the summer break, urging patience for a squad still seeking its first points of 2026.

Why it matters:

Alonso's frank diagnosis highlights the depth of Aston Martin's current technical struggles, moving beyond the initial power unit vibration problems to a core drivability issue. His public call for a gearbox fix before a high-braking circuit like Montreal puts direct pressure on the team's engineering department. Furthermore, his candid timeline for improvements underscores a strategic shift to conserve resources under the budget cap for a major upgrade package later in the year, accepting a difficult first half of the season.

The details:

• Alonso labeled the gearbox, specifically its behavior on downshifts and upshifts, as "fix number one for Canada," citing a lack of control and "weird" sensations throughout the Miami weekend.
• The Miami GP did offer one positive: a reduction in the Honda power unit vibrations that had plagued the AMR26 in the first three races, allowing the team to finish with both cars for the first time this season.
• Alonso qualified 17th and finished 15th in Miami, his best results of the season so far, but he immediately tempered expectations for a rapid climb up the order.
• The Spaniard revealed the team has no performance upgrades planned until after the summer break, arguing that bringing incremental gains of "one or two tenths" is futile when the car is roughly a second per lap off the pace.
• He emphasized a focus on managing frustration within the team and media, describing the upcoming races as "very tough" and "repetitive," with the same performance level expected in Canada and Austria.
• Aston Martin remains one of only two teams, along with Cadillac, yet to score a championship point in 2026.

What's next:

All eyes will be on Aston Martin's gearbox performance at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, a track notorious for its heavy braking zones that will test any drivability improvements. The team's immediate goal will be to achieve clean, trouble-free weekends while working in the background on the larger upgrade package slated for the second half of the season. Alonso's message sets clear expectations: a breakthrough is not imminent, and the team is banking on a reset after the summer break to salvage their year.