Fernando Alonso is fed up (again) with the same old question

Fernando Alonso leaves the Barcelona Grand Prix with yet another major disappointment and a feeling that is turning into a certainty: Aston Martin’s season is a complete write-off. The Asturian driver, who had stated the day before that he would not return to F1 in Barcelona after this year, had a weekend to forget: After retiring due to a battery issue with his car, Alonso remains stuck on just one point in the world standings, earned under very unusual circumstances in Monte Carlo.

Aston Martin did not expect to be competitive in Catalonia, but the collapse in performance was even worse than initially predicted, following the signs of improvement (albeit limited) in recent times. This was confirmed by Mike Krack, the green team’s Chief Trackside Officer, to ‘Marca’: “We expected a weekend like this, but it’s not easy to have such poor performance or even fail to finish the race. I feel sorry for the fans who paid to see their heroes.”

Despite the difficulties, the team continues to believe in the work begun under the leadership of Adrian Newey: “We have a strong leader and we’ve made certain decisions regarding the car updates,” explained Krack. However, the issues aren’t limited to power and aerodynamics: “There are aspects related to drivability, the gearbox, traction, and energy management that will continue to be present.”

In Barcelona, it wasn’t just Alonso who stopped due to a technical issue: Stroll also had gearbox trouble. The Spanish driver, however, makes no secret of his pessimism and views the upcoming World Championship races with realism. Aston Martin’s crisis still appears far from resolved, and the two-time world champion perfectly summed up the team’s current situation with a rather pointed response to those asking if improvements are on the horizon: “We’ll be last again, and you’ll ask me the same question all over again.”