A stark contrast from Aston Martin’s past performances, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix highlighted the team’s current struggles.
- Lance Stroll experienced yet another challenging weekend, setting a new record for the most Q1 eliminations.
- Both Fernando Alonso and Stroll failed to secure points, marking another disappointing race for Aston Martin.
- Aston Martin’s AMR25 is proving to be one of the slowest on the grid, lacking any standout strengths.
- With a focus on upcoming regulations, the team’s current season appears grim.
In recent times, Aston Martin’s fortunes have taken a drastic downturn. Once starting from the front row back in 2023, the team now finds itself battling in the lower midfield. Lance Stroll’s recent performance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix epitomizes this decline. Knocked out in Q1, Stroll set an unwanted record for the most Q1 eliminations, while his teammate Alonso only managed 13th place during qualifying. Despite their efforts on race day, neither could break into the points, with Alonso ending up in 11th and Stroll stuck in 16th.
The race strategy, in particular, left much to be desired. Stroll’s hard tire setup might have worked had a Safety Car been introduced, but this scenario never played out. As a result, both drivers ended up without points once again. Over the first five race weekends, all 10 of Aston Martin’s points were scored by Stroll across two races in Australia and China, a far cry from potential podium finishes two years ago.
Reflecting on the downturn, Lance Stroll shared his perspective on the inherent unpredictability of Formula 1. “Well, that’s Formula 1. You know, you have years where it’s more difficult than other years,” Stroll remarked, acknowledging the nature of the sport. While there was a time when Aston Martin threatened the podium, led by a strong performance from Alonso, the current car lacks any notable strengths aside from straight-line braking.
Highlighting the team’s current focus, Aston Martin’s new managing partner, Adrian Newey, is already setting his sights on the 2026 regulations. While this shift in strategy suggests the team isn’t throwing in the towel just yet, it limits the potential gains for the 2025 season, which are already few and far between. Stroll noted their commitment to improvement: “We’re going to do what we can. For sure, next year is a big rule change, and we need to be focused on that. But we’re not quitting.”
One reason behind Aston Martin’s struggles can be traced back to internal changes and decisions. Former technical director Dan Fallows, who was instrumental in the design of the last two car models, moved to a different role last November and is set to leave the team. Stroll commented on the potential missteps, “I think just decisions on what path to take with upgrades and which areas to focus on probably, in hindsight, some of those things were not the right thing.”
As Aston Martin navigates a tough season, the team remains focused on meeting future challenges head-on.
