Aston Martin has held crisis talks over a dismal start to the 2025 Formula 1 season as Fernando Alonso fears he’ll be unable to score points this year.
The Silverstone-based squad does have points on the board, courtesy of Lance Stroll, who finished sixth in the wet Australian season opener and ninth after three competitors were disqualified in China.
Alas, after a troubled 2024 where development issues saw Aston Martin tumble down the pecking order, the team has continued on the same foot in 2025.
The AMR25 has scored one top-10 qualifying result, again, via Stroll in the Sprint grid-forming session in Shanghai, beyond that, it has restricted the Canadian and Alonso to Q1 and Q2 exits.
Stroll has three Q1 exits on the bounce, Alonso’s talents aren’t enough to wrestle Aston Martin into Q3 and the veteran Spaniard has finished 11th, 15th and 11th again in the three Grands Prix he’s finished.
After his latest result in Saudi Arabia at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Alonso said: “I gave everything on track. It was hard to keep up the pace with the cars in front. We were just not quick enough.
“P11 is the worst position probably you can finish and we need to get used to it. It’s going to be difficult to score points this year.
“Today we are P11 also because Yuki [Tsunoda] and Gasly had contact in lap one and Liam [Lawson] had a 10-second penalty,” he said.
“If not, we were P14. But there’s still a long way to go.”
Andy Cowell calls for meeting to turn Aston Martin F1 fortunes around
With a punishing season in store, Andy Cowell made a declaration post-race last Sunday that Aston Martin were set to hold talks on Monday in order to find a way forward.
“We’re getting together to have a think about what we’ve learned over this triple-header, and [ask] what do we do going forward? “Can we get more out of the car? Yes, I think we can,” Cowell said (via The Race).
“I think there’s many areas where we look back over the last the races and [think] we can get more out of the car.
“Is it enough to win races? No. But is it where we can push forward a bit more? Yes, it is.
“We’re learning about this car, and we’re learning about all the new equipment that we’ve got in the factory, and how to push things forward.”
Newey ‘100% focused’ on 2026
The AMR25 does have the benefit of Aston Martin’s new wind tunnel to aid development, and a redefined leadership structure implemented by Cowell, but neither has yielded results at this early stage.
Aston has an ace up its sleeve in Adrian Newey, but despite the troublesome start to 2025, he’s being kept focused on nailing the new regulations coming next year.
“100% of Adrian’s designing time is focused on ’26,” Cowell said ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP.
Asked if he’d like Newey to take a look at the AMR25, Alonso told select media, including Motorsport Week, “I think ultimately it’s his decision.
“He has enough experience, knowledge and background to know what is best,” the Spaniard added.
“And I think he’s working only on 2026, so if he’s deciding that, I totally support that.”
Time will tell if Aston’s woe in 2025 will change this stance, and perhaps Monday’s crisis talks have determined that outcome.
READ MORE – Aston Martin won’t divert Adrian Newey focus from F1 2026 despite poor 2025 start
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