Alonso reflects on criticism amid Aston Martin’s struggles: “They said I was crazy, and now they agree with me”

Formula 1 can be fickle. The same paddock that once blasted Fernando Alonso for his blunt radio messages during the troubled McLaren‑Honda years (2015–2017) is now wondering why he isn’t sounding frustrated or negative despite Aston Martin’s avalanche of reliability issues. A decade later, Alonso insists he hasn’t changed as much as people think — but the way his words are interpreted certainly has.

“I don’t think things were as dramatic ten years ago,” he said. “This is F1 — if you’re winning championships, you’re a god, even if you’re only racing your teammate. And when you’re struggling, everything gets magnified.”

Alonso believes the narrative around him back then was unfair.“Maybe now people are changing their opinion about what they thought of me ten years ago. They only remember what I said, but Stoffel (Vandoorne), Jenson (Button), and I were all making the same comments. Today people understand the situation better, they’re more tactful. Back then I was criticized and called crazy for showing frustration on the radio.”

He shared the remarks during the FIA press conference, where he also addressed Aston Martin’s current crisis.

“We’re a team — we have to help Honda”

“What I can do is work harder, try to help Honda as much as possible, and shift some Aston Martin resources toward the power unit — the vibrations, the energy‑management issues,” Alonso explained. “We can help them in certain areas. We’re a team. The start has been tough, but I hope it doesn’t last long, even if the solution isn’t immediate.”

Despite the chaos, Alonso insists he’s not as uncomfortable as some might think.“It’s not ideal — we all want to win. But only one driver will win this year, and the other 21 will end up in a tough spot. I’ve been lucky to live through different eras in F1. I’ve enjoyed driving, and I’ve had competitive cars for half my career. Now, anything short of winning is painful.”

Aston Martin in “Survival Mode” for China

Alonso describes the team’s current state heading into the Chinese Grand Prix as pure “survival mode.” He knows fighting for points will be difficult when the team can’t even guarantee they’ll run without limitations — or finish the race distance.

How long will this painful stretch last? “It’s hard to know,” he replies. ”Honestly, I don’t know. We have too many problems — and problems we don’t even know about yet that appear out of nowhere. But we’re working. There are great professionals and talented people in the team, and I hope in a couple of races we can have a normal weekend. Being competitive will take longer. Once we fix reliability, we’ll still be behind on power. It’s two steps. I hope we take the first one soon.”

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