Three Formula 1 drivers have disagreed with an “extreme” take by Fernando Alonso that only the McLaren drivers are finding the remainder of this season interesting.
With the second half of the season due to recommence in a few weeks, teams are already ploughing resources and attention into 2026, a year of brand new regulations.
This has led to additional juggling by teams to ensure they are prepared for the new dawn of F1, whilst maintaining work on their current prospects for the remainder of this year.
The Spaniard made his comments at the Belgian Grand Prix two weeks ago, saying the rest of the grid, including team personnel, have “80 per cent” focus on 2026 already.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Alonso theorised, are the only drivers still interested given the likelihood that one of the two men will be crowned World Champion.
“Not only on the engineers and the design team. It’s also the drivers’ ahead, apart maybe from the two McLaren drivers,” Alonso added.
But prior to last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, Liam Lawson, Charles Leclerc and Alonso’s Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll offered some contradiction.
“For sure, it’s going to be more exciting for the McLaren drivers than the rest of us,” the Canadian told media including Motorsport Week.
“But every race you never know what’s going to happen. We’re all in our own different battles. Some of us are trying to pick up a point or two and that’s a victory for us as a team.
“McLaren are fighting to win the race every weekend. We’re all fighting our own battles. I’m enjoying every weekend as they come and you never know what’s going to happen.
“The future, next year, like I said earlier, is a big opportunity for all the teams. That’s exciting to see how it’s going to fall into place.”
Drivers ‘fully motivated’ to strive for positive results in 2025
Leclerc concurred with Stroll, saying that every driver on the grid is in their own personal battle to achieve something before the season’s end.
“I agree. It’s maybe a bit extreme to say that only the McLaren drivers will be having fun,” the Monegasque stated. “We are all fighting for something.
“It would be very optimistic for me to say that I’m fighting for the World Championship. That’s not realistic anymore.
“However, we are fighting for coming back to winning races. For that, I’m very excited and I just hope it will be as soon as possible.
“I’m still fully motivated and excited whenever there’s a race.”
Lawson offered agreement to both men, citing Racing Bulls’ current fight in the midfield as an example of how teams and drivers still have so much to strive for.
“These guys said it well,” the Kiwi added. “With how close the midfield is right now, it’s definitely exciting from our perspective depending on how the weekends are going.
“We’re all on our own path and in our own fights. We’re all focused on those individual things at the moment.”
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