Fernando Alonso has reached his limit with the AMR25. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah was the latest example of an unsustainable situation for the Asturian driver who, despite his unwavering competitive spirit, was unable to hide his frustration and physical and mental exhaustion caused by the poor performance of his car. In a race that should have been better suited to the characteristics of the Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso finished outside the points and made statements that perfectly sum up his state of mind.
Alonso: “Pushing at this level is not sustainable”
The race in Jeddah was not only a test of speed, but also a test of physical endurance. The extremely high temperatures and the high-speed urban circuit demanded the utmost from all the drivers. But in the case of Fernando Alonso, the suffering was twofold: not only because of the conditions, but also because he had to squeeze every last drop out of a car that is simply not up to the task.
“It’s crazy… check between laps 22 and 27 and you’ll see what’s happening,” Fernando Alonso said over the radio to his engineer. A statement as blunt as it is revealing, exposing the extent to which the two-time champion is driving beyond reasonable limits. The AMR25 is not responding, and to stay in the fight, Fernando Alonso has to push beyond what is sustainable.
Frustration grew as the race progressed. “I can’t keep this pace. It’s crazy. The level of risk… it’s unbelievable. Pushing at this level is not sustainable,” he said in another radio message. Words that, coming from a driver with 22 seasons in F1, sound like a cry for help.
The AMR25 gives no options
Fernando Alonso’s comments also highlighted another major problem with the car: the management of the DRS. When his engineer asked him to lift off to recover energy, his response was blunt: “I can’t do it. If I lose the DRS, I’m dead.” And that’s exactly what happened. Despite having had that advantage on the previous lap, he had lost it by the next one. “I don’t know how I lost the DRS when I had it on the previous lap,” he said, visibly annoyed.
Losing the DRS meant being exposed to other drivers with more competitive cars, such as Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar. Faced with them, Alonso had to push to the limit once again, with a car that allowed him no room for error.
Alonso calls for improvements at the factory
The balance after crossing the finish line was no more encouraging. “We need three or four cars to finish out of the race to score a point,” he lamented. Alonso finished 11th, equaling his best result of the year, but still without scoring any points in the championship. It is not the first time he has started a season with zero points: it already happened in 2015 and 2017 with McLaren-Honda. But even then, he managed to score points in the sixth or seventh race. This year, he has already gone five races without a reward.
Despite everything, his competitive spirit remains intact. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a race like today… never in 25 years,” he confessed. A statement that speaks not only of physical and technical suffering, but also of the deep frustration of seeing how neither his talent nor his experience can compensate for the shortcomings of a car that does not give him what he needs.
Fernando Alonso has put up with a lot from the car Aston Martin has given him this season, but his patience is wearing thin. He is saying it loud and clear: the team needs to improve, and it needs to do so from the factory and as soon as possible.