Damon Hill names which F1 driver will want to use a ‘punch bag’ after the Monaco Grand Prix after ‘terrible’ start to 2025

The Monaco Grand Prix produced an interesting race with McLaren driver Lando Norris converting pole position into his second victory of the 2025 season.

He was followed home by Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri as for the second year in a row, the drivers who started in the top three positions at the Monaco Grand Prix finished on the podium.

Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson earned career-best finishes after a remarkable strategy to come home in sixth and eighth, while Lewis Hamilton lamented being left in no man’s land to finish fifth a long way behind Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.

Martin Brundle wasn’t a fan of the mandated two-stop rule introduced at Monaco, and after the race, many of the drivers agreed.

However, it was an incredibly frustrating race for many drivers who were unable to overtake due to the narrow street circuit providing few passing opportunities.

Mercedes driver George Russell was handed a drive-through penalty after overtaking Alex Albon off the track and refusing to give the place back, to sum up an awful race weekend for the Silver Arrows.

Damon Hill had another driver in mind when he discussed who might be the most frustrated racer on the circuit in Monte Carlo after he extended another unwanted streak.

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Damon Hill laments ‘terrible’ start to 2025 for Fernando Alonso after Monaco Grand Prix engine failure

Hill was commentating on the race for BBC Sport and was watching a fantastic performance from Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso.

Alonso wasn’t happy with Hamilton earlier in the race weekend but was promoted above him on the grid after the seven-time world champion impeded Verstappen during qualifying.

Although Alonso was frustrated after being pitted behind Isack Hadjar after the first round of stops, he was easily inside the top 10 and on his way to securing his first points of 2025.

That was until his power unit failed, although he found one of the only convenient places to stop his car on the track to avoid bringing out a safety car that so many drivers were desperately hoping for.

After watching him retire, Hill said: “He’s had a terrible start to the season.

“He never gives anything less than the very best and he’s always the guy who delivers as much as can be delivered by the driver and the team.

“He’s such a competitor. He’ll go home and I don’t know whether he’ll [use a] punch bag at home or whatever. He’s never happy unless he gets what he thinks he deserves.

“But he’s a world champion, he’s a double world champion, he wants to be at the front.

“One day he may be with Adrian Newey if he can wave his magic wand over the Aston Martin.”

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Aston Martin waiting for Adrian Newey’s ‘magic wand’ to help Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll

Alonso will be so frustrated that a strong performance across the race weekend has somehow seen him fail to add to his points tally for the eighth Grand Prix in 2025.

Lance Stroll has 14 points to his name but fell out of the top 10 in the drivers’ championship after Isack Hadjar’s career-best P6 finish.

Andy Cowell’s team took a step forward at Imola after both drivers reached Q3 and Alonso should have added to his tally on Sunday.

However, all of their hope is directed towards 2026 and the introduction of F1’s new regulations.

Adrian Newey is in charge of designing their car and is enjoying working with Alonso already.

Newey has changed his mind about Stroll during their time together, and Hill thinks Newey could use his ‘magic wand’ to make the team more competitive.

This season is becoming even more of a write-off for Alonso with each passing race, and he’ll be desperate for the 2026 campaign to start sooner rather than later.