Why Aston Martin’s Hungary F1 fightback is “regarding” to Alonso

Aston Martin had its most profitable weekend of the 2025 Method 1 season on the Hungarian Grand Prix, however is at a loss to elucidate why it occurred.

One week prior, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll locked out the again row at Spa-Francorchamps, however on the Hungaroring they claimed fifth and sixth on the grid – their finest end result since they certified respectively fourth and third on the 2023 Brazilian GP. However this time, they have been barely one tenth away from pole place.

This was no fluke; though they have been by no means in rivalry for victory or perhaps a podium, they did end fifth and seventh in Hungary, once more their finest end result since Sao Paulo 2023 (third and fifth).

The sensation among the many staff would possibly finest be described as puzzled aid, because it couldn't clarify the way it achieved such a tour de pressure.

“It's a shock, positively it's a shock. It is a good shock,” Alonso contemplated. “The nice factor is that we have been aggressive and we have been quick. The regarding factor is that we do not know why.

“We want this week on the manufacturing facility [before the mandatory summer shutdown] to analyse precisely what are the variations between Spa and Hungary, what are the variations on the automobile as properly, on the set-up, on the aero units that we have been racing with.

“Clearly, the primary theme for us was the entrance wing that was new this weekend. If that entrance wing provides us that a lot efficiency, that is excellent information, however I feel that needs to be understood in the meanwhile.”

The brand new high-downforce entrance wing was anticipated to ship efficiency on the twisty Hungaroring observe, however arguably not that a lot. One other distinction that got here into play was the change again to the previous Imola-spec flooring, although Alonso has lauded excellent correlation from the simulator for all upgrades, together with the newer flooring.

“All the things that we delivered to the observe is delivering precisely what the wind tunnel was saying,” he claimed. “No matter we need to slot in any weekend, we all know what the automobile will ship.”

So the primary issue, as urged by the Spanish veteran, could also be observe traits. Spa-Francorchamps primarily has lengthy straights interspersed with every kind of corners, together with a number of high-speed curves, making it one of many quickest circuits on the calendar. The Hungaroring, in the meantime, is the second-slowest format on the F1 calendar resulting from its sequence of medium-speed and gradual corners.

Morale is up, however efficiency should not stoop again down

The Belgian GP end result was optimistic in a number of methods, with these 16 factors – in comparison with the 36 collected over the primary 13 grands prix of the 12 months – hauling Aston from eighth to sixth within the constructors' championship. Equally importantly, staff morale was boosted.

“I'd not lie, I used to be nervous, I used to be involved for the second a part of the 12 months,” Alonso admitted, opening up greater than he used to about Aston Martin's struggles, as he beforehand shunned delving into how severe the state of affairs was for such an formidable outfit – although his tone and manner by no means fairly hid his opinion.

“We have been a little bit bit down by way of motivation, everybody within the staff, and these seven days, I feel it modifications 180 levels.”

Motivation could have drastically improved, however Aston Martin staff bosses are conscious the staff must keep away from slumping again to Q1 degree, even with the 2026 automobile being the precedence forward of F1's new technical period – which means new recruit Adrian Newey refrains from engaged on the AMR25 in any respect.

“You can't bounce, usually, from the again of the midfield to the entrance of the midfield inside seven days,” chief trackside officer Mike Krack acknowledged.

“We have to be life like. We had very tough races earlier than, not solely Spa. It doesn't imply that we have now managed an entire turnaround. I feel it is most likely additionally a bit circumstantial. The battle within the midfield will proceed, I am positive.”

The following stage within the midfield battle would be the Dutch GP on the finish of the month, on the marginally sooner but in addition slender and twisty Zandvoort observe, which can verify or disprove the AMR25's appetency for such circuits.

“The primary take a look at can be Zandvoort. Once more, most downforce in Zandvoort,” Alonso identified. “We carried out properly in the previous couple of years there, so hopefully we have now each automobiles within the factors once more.”

The 2-time F1 champion completed second within the 2023 operating of the race, however gained't be anticipated to repeat such a end result this time round.

Further reporting by Oleg Karpov and Filip Cleeren