'It’s going to be painful' - Fernando Alonso admits continuous struggle on track

As the Formula 1 world descended upon Spain, all eyes were on Fernando Alonso and his Aston Martin team at the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite the challenging season, Alonso's popularity among his home fans remained unwavering, with thousands flocking to support him.

Initially, Alonso's qualifying run placed him 11th, but a penalty for Sergio Perez moved him up to 10th, a small yet significant shift. Reflecting on the season, Alonso openly discussed Aston Martin’s struggles. The team, which had celebrated eight podium finishes last year, has struggled to keep pace with rivals McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes.

Alonso succinctly captured this decline in performance, stating, “They are getting better and we are getting worse probably.” Alonso's remarks highlighted his pragmatic approach. Despite the disappointing qualifying results, he expressed satisfaction, understanding the context of their current form.

“I think I’m happy with the result, even if it’s painful to say in front of the whole grandstand. But before qualifying, our predictions were a little bit more pessimistic,” he admitted. The team’s decision to use three sets of tyres in the first qualifying round underscored their cautious strategy and lack of confidence.

“We Cannot give up”, says Fernando Alonso

Looking ahead, Alonso remained realistic about the upcoming races. He anticipated continued struggles in Austria and emphasized the need for resilience and consistent point scoring. "It’s going to be painful here. It’s going to be painful in Austria. In Silverstone, we have to keep scoring points. If it’s eighth, eighth, if it’s seventh, ninth, whatever. But we cannot give up and stay positive in these tough times," he urged.

However, Alonso also offered a glimmer of hope. He hinted at significant developments planned before the summer break, which could potentially rejuvenate the team’s performance. He noted, "I think there are a lot of understandings in the team about what went right, and what went wrong." 

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"Not only this year, I think the second part of last year and this year. So I think all the teams, we are getting more and more extreme with the development and the cars are more critical to drive. But I think now we understand a few ideas that will bring performance", he further added.