It’s not official, but it’s an open secret that Aston Martin doesn’t want to announce it, out of caution, so as not to raise expectations, or for whatever reason. But Fernando Alonso hints at it in every statement after every session when he has to talk to the press, and yesterday, after his performance in Austria, he said it again: there will be an update at Silverstone, and a few more parts at Spa.
A step forward for Aston Martin
It didn’t take long for Fernando Alonso to get off the ground at Aston Martin. In the five races with the first upgrades of the season, the Oviedo native has improved his results significantly, securing great qualifying positions and improving his results on Sundays. The race in Austria was simply incredible, a display that shows that Fernando Alonso is up there with the greatest drivers in the sport, well above any other driver on the current grid—except Verstappen—capable of achieving incredible results with cars that lack performance.
This is because Fernando Alonso has managed to make the Aston Martin the fifth car on the grid, despite its performance being seventh or eighth. The improvements in Italy made the car more stable and predictable, enough for Fernando Alonso to understand its behavior and get the most out of it.
New improvements for Silverstone
The improvements coming for the F1 Silverstone Grand Prix look set to be different, significant and more extensive than the previous ones. It will be more than “something,” as Fernando Alonso said after the race. In principle, this new package is expected to bring a significant change to the aerodynamics of the AMR25, improving top speed (which the car currently lacks) and slow cornering, as well as reducing tire degradation. The updates could represent a significant improvement in the car’s weakest areas.
Fernando Alonso’s aspirations
He hasn’t said it many times, but he has repeated it a few times this season. Fernando Alonso wants to finish a race on the podium this season, and the chances may be real starting this weekend. Especially because the close competition on Saturdays means that if the team is able to improve by two or three tenths, it can qualify among the best. And because if the improvements give the AMR25 more top speed, it will be able to rub shoulders with them.
Aston Martin hopes that Fernando Alonso will consolidate the AMR25 as the fifth car on the grid, that fighting for the top five will be more than possible, and that a podium finish can be achieved in a race in the middle of the championship. At the top of the grid, someone always fails. Yesterday it was Antonelli, who took out Verstappen, the day before it was Norris, and the Mercedes are still very inconsistent. That’s why there’s hope that the conditions will be right to be among the best for a weekend.
New updates are coming to Silverstone, improvements are coming for the AMR25 of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, and new hope is coming. The 2025 World Championship was well below expectations, but the team seems to be starting to reap the rewards planted by Lawrence Stroll. We must not forget that the present is only preparation for what is to come next year, Aston Martin’s attempt to storm to the top of F1. And there is no better way to achieve this than by gaining confidence this year, and that is what the team is trying to do.