Fernando Alonso can breathe easier after the last few races, where Aston Martin has shown that it has managed to place the AMR25 in the middle of the pack. However, at the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, the Oviedo native was asked what his position in the World Championship would be if he were a McLaren driver.
McLaren, the dominant force in the F1 World Championship
McLaren was the constructors’ world champion last year, but not the drivers’ champion because the team took too long to realize they could be, and by the time they reacted, Max Verstappen was out of reach. This year, they are on track to repeat their constructors’ title, and it looks like they will also take the drivers’ title.
In the team standings, they have 362 points and lead by a huge margin over Ferrari, who are second with 165 points (a difference of 197 points). In the Drivers‘ Championship, the shadow of Verstappen is still there, although race after race, it is getting smaller. Oscar Piastri leads the World Championship with 186 points, followed by his teammate Lando Norris, who has 176. The four-time world champion follows with 137 points.
Fernando Alonso and McLaren
At the end of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso was asked what position he would occupy if he were a McLaren driver, a question whose answer could be very interesting, especially since his two years with the team, particularly the last one, were forgettable. Laughing, he did not want to commit himself. “You never know… McLaren are the big dominators. They were very strong last year and they are again this year.“
McLaren, a mirror for Aston Martin to follow
That said, Fernando Alonso took advantage of this question to praise the work done by McLaren over the last two seasons, which has helped him climb to the top of motor racing. ”They are the benchmark team and we have to learn from them and try to reach their level.”
The truth is that Aston Martin wants to follow in the footsteps of the current World Championship leaders. McLaren, until a few seasons ago, was at the back of the grid. The restructuring of the team, as carried out by Lawrence Stroll at the Silverstone team, moved it into the middle of the pack, and when they finished their wind tunnel (the most complete one built to date, except for the one now being built for Aston Martin), they took a step forward to everyone’s surprise, winning last year’s constructors’ championship, and are now on their way to a second consecutive title.
Fernando Alonso cites the work of McLaren as an example and believes that Aston Martin could follow suit. After the new factory, the hiring of top engineers such as Adrian Newey, and the launch of the wind tunnel, things seem to be paying off at Silverstone. The car has gone from being at the back of the grid to fighting for points in the midfield, and the next update, which will most likely arrive at the team’s home GP at Silverstone, is expected to put the AMR25 in the lead in the midfield and unsettle the championship’s top teams.
Although Fernando Alonso did not want to commit himself, if he were at McLaren he would be fighting for the Drivers’ World Championship, but they would have a major concern behind them, the arrival of a new team to take on the F1 giants. Aston Martin continues to take important steps this season to achieve its objectives, which include having a competitive car from 2026 and being able to fight for podium finishes.