Fernando Alonso’s Spanish Grand Prix ended exactly where it could have hurt the most. On lap 38, his Aston Martin stopped directly opposite the grandstand that carries his name, in front of fans who had bought tickets months in advance. It capped a weekend in which the two-time champion missed Q2 for the first time in 42 consecutive qualifying sessions, beaten by teammate Lance Stroll, who himself retired early with a gearbox fault.
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“We Knew We Have the Worst Car and the Worst Engine”
Alonso did not mince words afterwards, stating plainly that the team had long known its pace deficit. Team representative Mike Krack offered a public apology to fans in the grandstands, though the gesture did little to calm growing frustration in both Spain and Japan, where Honda’s reputation is also on the line.
No Fixes Expected Before Summer
Alonso confirmed no meaningful upgrades are expected for at least five more races, with the team committed to one major package for its AMR26 challenger rather than incremental fixes — a plan with no guarantee of success given Aston Martin’s recent upgrade record under the sweeping 2026 FIA technical regulations.
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1, Honda F1, Spanish Grand Prix, F1 2026, Lawrence Stroll
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