Despite winning 33 races and two world championships, Fernando Alonso’s F1 career has always evoked an undertone of regret among fans. Given his immense talent, Alonso could have achieved so much more. But often, the breaks just didn’t come his way. And equally often, he made things worse for himself.
Since debuting in 2001, Alonso has made some questionable career decisions, particularly in the latter stages of his journey, which have limited his chances of consistently fighting at the front. Leaving McLaren for Renault in 2008 and then rejoining McLaren during their darkest days in 2015 are just two examples.
Now 43 and entering the twilight of his career, Alonso finds himself struggling at Aston Martin, with the belief he once placed in them now coming under serious scrutiny.
Luca Di Montezemolo, one of the top honchos of the global automobile industry — he has been chairman of both Fiat and Ferrari — for one, is distraught at the way things have panned out for the Spaniard.
The Italian aristocrat, who was in charge of Ferrari during Alonso’s time in Maranello, said to DAZN, “I’m very sad for Fernando… a driver like Fernando, at the end of his career, with such an uncompetitive car, is truly sad.”
Fernando Alonso’s steering wheel has come off
The Spaniard is back in the pits now as Aston Martin investigates the issue #F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/fV1INSJYM4
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 11, 2025
To be fair, Aston Martin’s mechanical package with Alonso as driver was not always bad. In 2023, when the Spaniard joined them following a two-season stint with Alpine, the team had produced a blisteringly fast car. Alonso grabbed eight podium finishes that season, and there were hopes of a potential title-winning season being in sight. But since then, they’ve kept falling down the pecking order — something the ex-Ferrari boss laments.
To understand the downfall, let’s compare Alonso’s 2025 season to the last two.
In 2023, he had three podium finishes in the first four races, and was the fastest on the grid behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. In 2024, Alonso and Aston Martin took a step back, with P9, P5, P8, and P6 in the opening four rounds. This year, Alonso has zero points.
The Spaniard has suffered two DNFs in this period, and is 17th in the Drivers’ standings.
The AMR25 has failed to inspire any sort of confidence to compete consistently — even in the midfield. Things have gotten so bad that a man who once fought for Grand Prix wins is now chasing small victories like chasing points, and has even fallen short of that goal.
That said, this debacle comes during a period of transition for Aston Martin. Team owner Lawrence Stroll has signaled his ambition to build the team into championship contenders, with the 2026 regulation reset right around the corner.
In pursuit of that vision, Stroll Sr. has invested heavily in infrastructure, including a $200 million wind tunnel. He has also brought onboard two major names: Honda and Adrian Newey — the duo that previously oversaw Verstappen’s rise to four world titles.
Naturally, if Stroll’s long-term vision materializes next season, Alonso’s wait will have been worth it all along.
