Fernando Alonso has admitted he is no longer enjoying his Formula 1 battles with Aston Martin, delivering a particularly frank assessment of the team’s Honda-powered machinery after another frustrating weekend at the São Paulo Grand Prix.
Despite demonstrating impressive chassis performance in the wet conditions at Interlagos, Alonso believes Honda’s lack of straight-line speed is preventing Aston Martin from competing consistently, insisting that significant improvements are essential if the team is to become competitive in 2027.
The two-time world champion made his frustration clear after finishing 12th in Brazil, having shown considerably more potential during the rain-affected qualifying session and early stages of the race.
Although Alonso managed to reach Q3 for the first time in 2026, the underlying performance deficit remained difficult to ignore. The Spaniard believes Aston Martin has a car capable of challenging established rivals in certain conditions, but its power unit continues to undermine that potential.
His assessment was particularly revealing when asked whether he was enjoying his current F1 experience.
“No, I’m not enjoying it at all. I’m just here, doing my job. It’s not fun fighting with different tools than everyone else.”
It was an unusually candid admission from a driver who has continued to extract impressive performances from a difficult package.
Alonso exposes the scale of Aston Martin’s Honda problem
The Brazilian Grand Prix provided another illustration of the difference between Aston Martin’s chassis performance and its power unit limitations.
During Friday’s dry practice, Alonso finished 18th, losing more than a second to rivals through the straights and acceleration zones alone. The picture changed considerably when rain arrived for qualifying.
Alonso briefly topped Q1 and made the right call to switch to intermediate tyres early in Q2, securing his first Q3 appearance of the season and eighth place on the grid.
However, the advantage became harder to maintain once the race conditions changed.
According to the speed figures cited by F1-Gate, Pierre Gasly reached 352km/h during the Brazilian Grand Prix, compared with Alonso’s 336km/h.
That 16km/h difference illustrates the challenge facing Aston Martin. Even when the chassis provides sufficient grip and cornering performance, the lack of straight-line speed leaves Alonso vulnerable whenever he has to defend or attack.
The Spaniard acknowledged that the deficit is extremely difficult to overcome through driving ability alone.
“We are still losing a lot of speed on the straights, and it’s difficult to compensate for that. But we were able to fight with Ferrari in the early stages and with Mercedes towards the end.”
Alonso praises Newey’s chassis despite the frustration
While his assessment of Honda was uncompromising, Alonso was considerably more positive about the work carried out on Aston Martin’s chassis.
The AMR26, designed under Adrian Newey’s technical leadership, has demonstrated encouraging characteristics through faster corners, particularly when conditions have reduced the advantage of outright engine performance.
At Interlagos, Alonso believed the car had sufficient cornering ability to compete with Ferrari and even challenge Mercedes towards the closing stages.
He went further when describing the potential of the chassis.
“Considering the time we were losing on the straights, we could have potentially been a second faster per lap than Mercedes. The car was incredible in the corners. It felt really great.”
It is an important distinction for Aston Martin. The team’s difficulties cannot simply be attributed to a lack of aerodynamic or mechanical performance.
Instead, Alonso’s comments highlight the disconnect between the chassis and Honda power unit, with the latter preventing the team from translating its strengths into consistent race results.
Alonso also demonstrated his racecraft by overtaking Lewis Hamilton before becoming involved in a battle with Alexander Albon. However, as the circuit dried, the power deficit became increasingly difficult to manage.
Honda faces growing pressure ahead of 2027
With only three races remaining in the 2026 campaign, Alonso believes Aston Martin has already gathered enough information to understand what needs to change.
He suggested there is little additional knowledge to extract from the current car, placing the emphasis firmly on development rather than further experimentation.
“There’s nothing more to learn about the machine. We’ve made it to the 21st race, so we know exactly what needs to be improved.”
He added: “We must work hard for next year, close the gap, and become more competitive.”
Honda’s first season as Aston Martin’s factory power unit partner has been considerably more difficult than anticipated.
Insufficient power output, energy management difficulties and reliability concerns have repeatedly restricted the team’s progress. Those problems have prevented Aston Martin from fully exploiting the investment in its technical facilities and the arrival of Newey.
The challenge now is to ensure that the lessons from 2026 translate into meaningful improvements for next season.
Alonso responds to criticism about his age
Despite the disappointment, Alonso has retained his sense of humour, particularly when discussing the criticism he regularly receives about his age.
The Spaniard suggested that the standards applied to his performances can sometimes appear contradictory, with exceptional results treated as expected and ordinary performances attributed to his advancing years.
“The next moment, when I’m thought to be running well, I’m told it’s not good enough. If I do something extraordinary, it’s taken for granted. If I do something ordinary, I’m told I’m too old.”
He even joked about listening back to television coverage to discover whether commentators had questioned his age.
“I’ll listen to the entire broadcast again to make sure you guys didn’t say I was old.”
For Alonso, the motivation to compete clearly remains, but his patience with Aston Martin’s technical limitations is being tested.
Brazil demonstrated that the Spaniard can still make a difference when the machinery allows him to compete. However, his comments also underline the uncomfortable reality facing the team.
Aston Martin may have a chassis capable of challenging established rivals, but unless Honda makes substantial progress, Alonso’s opportunities to demonstrate that potential will remain limited.
The 2027 campaign is therefore becoming increasingly important, not only for Aston Martin’s ambitions but also for Alonso’s enjoyment of Formula 1.
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
