Fernando Alonso races at home. The driver from Oviedo arrives full of enthusiasm for the Spanish F1 Grand Prix in Barcelona, in front of his fans, on a circuit that is special to him, where he has stood on the top step of the podium twice, and where he hopes that the AMR25 will finally make the leap that everyone is expecting.
Fernando Alonso, optimistic about the AMR25
With just a few hours to go before the cars take to the track in Barcelona, Fernando Alonso spoke to Aston Martin’s website, where he reviewed several aspects of the season, which has had a difficult start but is now looking optimistic given the results and performance in recent races.
“Of course, it’s been a difficult season so far and we haven’t achieved the results we would have liked, but there are positives to take away, especially from the last two rounds.”
Fernando Alonso has shown his full confidence in the work of the team, especially given the performance of the AMR25 in the last two races.
“Securing the top ten starting positions for both the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and Monaco shows that the recent updates we have made to the AMR25 have improved our one-lap pace.”
Fernando Alonso and the Barcelona GP
Fernando Alonso is really looking forward to Sunday’s race. He is aware that the team has had bad luck in recent races, but he believes that it is now time for the other side of the coin to come out and hopes that it will be in front of the Spanish fans.
“We’ve had bad luck in the Grand Prix races on Sunday; one due to the timing of a virtual safety car and the other due to a problem with the car. Hopefully that bad luck will change soon and we can take advantage of it. I’m really looking forward to getting back in the car and seeing what we can do this weekend.”
The Barcelona circuit is important for understanding the performance and potential of the “new” Aston Martin. “It provides a thorough test of all aspects of the car, which is why it has been used so regularly as a test track over the years. There are long straights, fast corner sequences, and also some slower sections that present different challenges you have to deal with.
“The track demands a lot from the aerodynamic package with the long corners, and it’s also physical, with high G-forces in the fast sections. Tire management is also an important factor due to the long, fast corners and the generally high track temperatures.”
Fernando Alonso has fond memories of the Barcelona Grand Prix. He has achieved two World Championship victories in front of his home crowd, and in fact, his last F1 victory was at this circuit with Ferrari. He hopes that more victories will come, either at this track or elsewhere, but it does not seem likely until next season.
The Barcelona Grand Prix is a great opportunity to gauge how Aston Martin is approaching the second third of the season, and almost what remains. The AMR25 may still receive some improvements, mainly designed for 2026, but the development of the car will not be much greater and its current performance will set the tone for the rest of the year. Fernando Alonso is racing at home, in front of his fans, and hopes to bring joy to the thousands of fans who are eagerly awaiting the start of the 2025 Spanish F1 Grand Prix.