Hungary: Fernando Alonso energised by Q2 return with Aston Martin upgrades
Fernando Alonso has expressed satisfaction with Aston Martin’s recent upgrade package, which allowed him to reach Q2 for the first time this season at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Spanish driver described the experience as a “different Qualifying,” enabling him to “fight a little bit more” on the track.
Instead of implementing minor updates over several weekends, Aston Martin introduced a comprehensive overhaul of their car at the Hungaroring. This significant upgrade included 16 new components, affecting parts such as the front wing, floor, diffuser, and rear suspension. These changes are part of the team’s strategy to improve their standing in the competition.
Alonso appeared to adapt quickly to what was essentially a B-spec car, demonstrating early promise during Free Practice sessions. He advanced to Q2 by outperforming six other drivers, securing P16 on the grid. He noted that the “adrenaline when you close the visor and you go into the lap” had been absent in recent events, where the team often found themselves at the back of the grid.
The driver’s return to Q2 marks a clear indication of the team’s development efforts. Earlier in the season, Alonso secured Aston Martin’s first point by finishing P10 in Monaco. While these achievements are a step forward, Alonso acknowledged that scoring points in the race at the Hungaroring might still be challenging, stating that points were “a little bit out of reach, still far away.”
Rivals take notice of upgrade gains
The substantial performance improvement demonstrated by Aston Martin’s upgraded car has attracted attention from rival teams. Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas admitted to being “a bit scared” by the upgrade’s potential impact, particularly after his team had managed to distance themselves from Aston Martin in previous rounds. Bottas, who qualified 21st, was over seven tenths of a second slower than Alonso in Q1.
Bottas had heard rumours of a two-second improvement from Aston Martin’s Hungaroring upgrade and suggested that the actual gain might not be far from that figure. His teammate, Sergio Perez, was 1.2 seconds behind Alonso, although an issue in FP3 might have affected his car’s performance. The faster Williams of Carlos Sainz was also half a second slower than Alonso’s Aston Martin.
Sainz, who had anticipated the Hungaroring to be Williams’s “worst track of the season,” expressed his surprise at the margin by which Aston Martin had advanced. He hopes that Williams will view Aston Martin’s progress as motivation to achieve similar gains rather than being discouraged. However, Williams teammate Alex Albon described the improvement as “eye-opening,” indicating that Williams might not be able to replicate such a significant step with their own upcoming major upgrade at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September.
Albon commented, “I don’t know what kind of upgrade that Aston had, but I could only dream of that.” He noted that while Williams might compete with Aston Martin in some races due to straight-line speed, Aston Martin is considerably faster in corners. Albon added that Williams has “work to do” as their Baku upgrade is not expected to deliver the same level of improvement.
Alonso also outpaced the second Haas of Ollie Bearman, who was eliminated from Q1 for the first time since Monaco. Despite Aston Martin using three sets of soft tyres compared to Bearman’s two, Bearman found it “really painful” to be competing with and losing to the AMR26, acknowledging that his team is “really fighting and struggling at the moment.”
Unlocking further potential
Alonso expressed satisfaction that the upgrade delivered as expected, without any “nasty surprise.” He believes there is still “more potential to unlock in the car,” especially as the team will be running this package for more than six or seven laps for the first time, providing a good test for reliability. He also mentioned that the car felt “a little bit more forgiving” and “easier to drive,” with increased consistency in corners.
The team’s momentum has shifted, with Alonso stating, “We know exactly what we are looking for and we know exactly the targets for the next package or the target for next year.” This sentiment suggests a positive atmosphere within the team regarding future developments.
Aston Martin has additional chassis upgrades planned, with one scheduled for the first race after the summer break at Zandvoort. This upgrade will coincide with Honda’s sole engine upgrade. Another chassis upgrade is set to be introduced at Baku a month later.
However, some drivers, including Bearman and Bottas, noted that the Hungaroring might be particularly well-suited to Aston Martin’s car due to its shorter straights. Bottas suggested that on tracks with longer straights, Aston Martin might still face challenges. This highlights the importance of the upcoming chassis and engine upgrades in maintaining performance across different circuit types.
Lance Stroll, Alonso’s teammate, was eliminated in Q1, finishing 20th and half a second behind Alonso. Stroll had limited track time on Friday due to a suspension failure in FP1. He felt that Q2 might have been possible without a tailwind at Turn 12, which affected his car’s handling. Stroll indicated that the team needs to find more power, despite improved grip levels.
The team boss, Adrian Newey, who joined Aston Martin in March 2025, stated that his immediate goal for the team is to achieve “respectability.” He hopes the team can secure at least a point and continue to move forward. Newey also confirmed that the part that failed on Stroll’s car was not new, but the issue was complicated by its proximity to new components.
Source: formula1.com
Reuben Castle is the Sports News Writer at News GB, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from print into digital sport news. He holds a degree in Journalism from Coventry University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Coventry, he follows the Open Championship and amateur boxing. “Accuracy first; the analysis can follow.”
