Fernando Alonso — 2025 season

Fernando Alonso's 2025 Formula 1 season with Aston Martin was characterized by a challenging start and a determined mid-season effort to extract points from a car that consistently battled for the lower end of the top ten. Entering the season, expectations for Aston Martin, following the ground-effect era's evolution and a tightening field after Red Bull's earlier dominance, likely centered on consistent points finishes, building on Alonso's strong 2023 campaign.

Going in

Alonso, a veteran of the sport since 2001, began 2025 with Aston Martin, continuing his tenure in the ground-effect era. The regulatory framework, featuring tunnel-floor aerodynamics and 18-inch wheels, had seen Red Bull dominate in 2022 and 2023, with the field closing up significantly in 2024. This context meant that any team not at the absolute sharp end would need to execute flawlessly to secure meaningful results. Alonso's reputation for maximizing any package he drove set a high bar for his performance, even if the car itself wasn't a front-runner. His experience in navigating complex technical regulations, as seen in previous seasons like Lewis Hamilton — 2021 season and Lewis Hamilton — 2022 season, was expected to be a significant asset.

How it played out

The season began with immediate setbacks, as Alonso recorded two DNFs in the first two rounds: an accident at the Australian Grand Prix and a brake issue at the Chinese Grand Prix. This difficult start was compounded by further retirements later in the year at Monaco (engine), Italy (suspension), and Mexico (brakes), highlighting reliability concerns with the Aston Martin AMR25. For the first eight races, Alonso consistently finished outside the points, often in the mid-teens, with a best of 11th at Suzuka, Jeddah, and Imola. The Spanish Grand Prix marked a turning point, where he secured his first points with a 9th place finish. From there, a more consistent run of points-scoring performances emerged. He achieved 7th place finishes in Canada, Austria, Qatar, and a 9th at Silverstone. The highlight of his season was a strong 5th place at the Hungarian Grand Prix, demonstrating his ability to capitalize on specific circuit characteristics. Despite these efforts, the Aston Martin package often lacked the raw pace to challenge for podiums, resulting in Fernando Alonso concluding the season with 0 wins and 0 podiums across 24 races.

Defining moments