After a disappointing race-ending crash at last weekend’s Australian GP, Fernando Alonso was hoping to make amends in China. However, the Spaniard was once again forced to retire, albeit this time due to an issue with the car in the initial stages of the race at the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday.
On lap four, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly reported that the brakes on Alonso’s AMR25 were on fire. At first, it didn’t look too serious. But when the car started to slow down, with smoke billowing out of the brakes, it became evident that the Spaniard’s outing was over.
F1 cars have huge braking potential — which heats the brake discs to searing temperatures. In fact, an F1 car’s carbon brake discs face temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees Celsius under braking.
While they can handle that amount of load, aided by an intricate cooling system, prolonged exposure to such temperatures can be a problem. Alonso’s race lasted just four laps, indicating it would have been a glitch.
It seems the cooling systems on Alonso’s brake ducts were unable to regulate the temperature, which most likely led to the fire that forced him to box.
LAP 5/56
“No brakes, no brakes”
No luck for Alonso who returns to the pit lane and out of the race ❌#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/ovaFHvI1t4
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 23, 2025
It will be an issue that the team will now work hard to diagnose and resolve. This season was always going to be a transitional period for Alonso and Aston Martin since their primary aim is to develop the 2026 challenger.
So, the troubles of 2025 shouldn’t be a big headache. However, consecutive DNFs in the first two races would be a huge blow for the team coming in with massive ambitions. The impact of such issues could go beyond the current season too.
Fernando’s #ChineseGP comes to an early end.
The team were managing an issue with rear brake temperatures, so had to make a precautionary stop and retire the car.
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) March 23, 2025
In the cost cap era, repair bills are a nuisance. Huge expenses on that front could also hamper the development of next year’s car that ought to be done this year.
Alonso, on his part, would also be determined to avoid making mistakes, such as the one that led to his crash in Australia.
The Silverstone-based outfit hired Adrian Newey to focus on the regulation changes for 2026. And, with Honda coming in as a new engine supplier, the future of the team, at least on paper, looks promising.
That’s why Aston Martin is not targeting anything this season. Newey needs time to work on a new concept, and investing in a project that will become obsolete in a few months doesn’t make sense.
Still, Alonso would have hoped for a better start to the season. Compared to him, his teammate Lance Stroll, surprisingly, has done much better, fetching 10 points in the opening two races. He has managed to hold the Silverstone-based team just within the top five of the standings.
The 43-year-old has insisted that “2026 will probably, or at least to start,” be his last year in the sport. He wants to go out on a high by competing for the title one last time.
Hopefully, better luck and a much better showing would play out for him in a fortnight at the Japanese Grand Prix.
