22-pole F1 driver now in ‘quite some trouble’ for the Australian Grand Prix, ‘disappointed me the most’

Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes all won races during the 2024 season. There were also seven different drivers who scored multiple victories.

There was a distinct top four and then a chasmic 364-point gap to the next-best team in Aston Martin. They were closely-matched for pace with Alpine, Haas, Racing Bulls and Williams in the second half of the season.

That just leaves Sauber, who narrowly avoided a scoreless season when Zhou Guanyu finished eighth at the penultimate race in Qatar. With most of the focus on Audi’s 2026 takeover, they could be cut adrift once again this year.

With reliability levels better than ever, there were hardly any opportunities for midfield teams to score podiums last term. In fact, Alpine were the only outfit outside the top four who sprayed the champagne.

Pierre Gasly and the now-departed Esteban Ocon bagged a double podium at the sodden Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The pack should converge in the final year of the ruleset, potentially offering some hope to the mid-pack.

Equally, though, it will be even more difficult to bridge the gap. The teams are reaching the limits of their concept, and some are already of a mind to prioritise 2026 and the regulation changes.

Ivan Capelli fears Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin are in trouble for Australian Grand Prix

Speaking to Sky Italia, former F1 driver Ivan Capelli bemoaned Aston Martin’s performance in testing. Capelli appeared in 93 races between 1985 and 1993.

The Italian says that Aston and, by extension, Fernando Alonso, have been deeply underwhelming. He anticipated a ‘leap forward’.

Alonso has 22 poles and 32 wins in his F1 career, but his drought stretches back to 2013. Given his age, his last hope of ending it may come next year.

There was a huge buzz around Silverstone when Lawrence Stroll announced the signing of Adrian Newey. Newey starts work on Monday, which may be too late to significantly influence the AMR25.

“Aston seems to be in quite some trouble,” Capelli said.

Later, he added: “It’s just testing, but at the moment Aston Martin is the team that has disappointed me the most. It doesn’t seem to have made that leap forward.”

Gary Anderson provides worrying verdict on Aston Martin, ‘nothing sort of excites me’

Alonso has shown no real sign of decline even at the age of 43. If Aston provide the car, he should still be able to compete for podiums as he did in 2023.

Gabriel Bortoleto says Alonso still has ‘one of the best physiques’ in F1, a testament to his training regime. The new Sauber signing is the Spaniard’s protege, having signed with his management company.

While Alonso was linked with Mercedes, he recommitted to Aston Martin rather swiftly in the end, signing a new deal in April. They’re clearly looking long-term, but it’s still difficult to keep immediate frustration levels under control.

Gary Anderson wasn’t impressed by Aston Martin’s 2025 car, saying ‘nothing sort of excites me’ on first viewing. His skepticism is perhaps justified after the final day of testing, where Alonso only posted a 1:32.0 – albeit on an unknown run plan.