Fernando Alonso just made a Saudi Arabian Grand Prix ‘miracle’ statement that will remind fans of his time at Minardi

After four race weekends, Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso is still waiting to score his first point this season.

After back-to-back campaigns finishing fifth in the constructors’ championship, Aston Martin have finally experienced the drop off that many people in the paddock saw coming months ago.

At last season’s finale in Abu Dhabi, Fernando Alonso defied the odds to finish ninth, while his teammate Lance Stroll went on a run of 11 races without a top 10 finish.

Alonso was impressed with Stroll when he finished sixth at the season opener in Australia, and the Canadian further added to his tally at the next race in China, but since then, it’s all been downhill for Andy Cowell’s team.

Aston Martin sit seventh in the team standings ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but will count themselves lucky that Racing Bulls have made several strategy blunders this year, and Alpine were unable to benefit from Ferrari’s double disqualification in Shanghai when Pierre Gasly was also excluded.

Alonso is facing unexpected problems at Aston Martin this year, and his latest comments are reminiscent of his first-ever season in Formula 1 with Minardi in 2001.

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Fernando Alonso says reaching Q2 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was a ‘miracle’

Speaking to the press after qualifying in Jeddah, via Motorsport, Alonso said, “This is what we have to do right now. We are, perhaps, the last team, and we have to put three sets of tyres on in Q1 to try to get through to Q2, and if we get through by a miracle, then we only have used tyres.

“Even so, we have avoided P14 and P15 in the last few races, always P13.

“I think we do our best on Saturday, and then on Sunday, a bit on these circuits, I suppose you end up in the position you deserve.

“So tomorrow, maintaining this 13th position I think will be complicated, but we’re going to try, of course.”

Alonso was heralded for his first season at Minardi, despite failing to record a top six finish needed to score points back in 2001.

The 43-year-old has reached Q2 at every race this season but failed to progress to the top 10 shootout on every occasion.

Although Alonso tends to not be the most positive driver when things aren’t going his way, it’s hard to suggest that he’s being overdramatic given Aston Martin tough start to 2025.

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Fernando Alonso admits Aston Martin must take ‘risks’ to score points in Saudi Arabia

Alonso was asked what he needs to do if he wants to score his first points of the season in Saudi Arabia on Sunday and replied: “We’ll try to take risks. We have two sets of hard tyres, while some of the other drivers around us don’t.

“But the race will theoretically be a one-stop race, so we shouldn’t see much action. As we said in Bahrain, we’re short on the straights, and we’ll probably struggle in the race.

“I think we’re about 7 or 8 kilometres per hour slower than the others; on the straights, we’ll have to struggle and defend, but that’s how it is.

“We have to get through these difficult times and make the most of it, testing things with the setup, always trying to invent something.

“Today I think we ‘invented’ a P13, an unexpectedly good result, although at the same time it’s sad that it’s just unexpectedly good.

“But it shows a little that we’re not here just for the sake of it. We’re trying to get out of this situation as soon as possible.”

Martin Brundle wasn’t impressed with Alonso during the Saudi Arabia race weekend, but he’s unlikely to be fazed about what his rivals are doing on track.

He’s going to have to find a way past three other drivers to secure that much-needed first point of 2025, which won’t be easy given the high speed, narrow nature of the circuit.