Alonso battled neck injury and brake woes in four-lap fiasco

Fernando Alonso's 2025 campaign in F1 has begun under a cloud of misfortune, the Aston Martin charger revealing that his struggles weren’t limited to his car in China.

Alonso retired after just four laps in Shanghai due to a brake fire, marking his second consecutive retirement of the season in as many races.

Compounding his challenges, however, was a neck pain suffered by the F1 veteran although it proved relatively inconsequential given the brevity of his race.

“I’m okay, I was wearing some neck protection because I’ve had a pinched nerve or something these past few days,” the two-time world champion told the Spanish media.

“But in the end, it didn’t help much because I didn’t do many laps.”

A Race Cut Short

Starting 13th on the grid, ahead of teammate Lance Stroll, Alonso’s AMR25 suffered a critical failure early on.

“We had a brake issue. The rear brakes were very hot from the first lap and on the last one before retiring, I hit the brakes into Turn 1 and the pedal went all the way down with no braking power,” he explained.

“Luckily it’s a long corner and you slow down gradually with gears and engine braking. If it had happened in the Turn 14 braking zone, I would have taken out five or six cars,” he noted, reflecting on the potential danger.

“In a way, we were lucky not to have an accident.”

Stroll, meanwhile, finished ninth, completing another low-key weekend for Team Silverstone.

The Weight of 43 Years

At 43, Alonso is Formula 1’s oldest statesmen, a fact that underscores his passion – and perhaps his vulnerability.

The physical toll of F1, with its punishing G-forces and relentless schedule, may be catching up.

While Alonso has a history of resilience, including returning from broken ribs in 2016 and a fractured jaw in 2021, the cumulative toll of such injuries raises questions about the sustainability of competing at the highest level as age advances.

Despite the setback, Alonso remains focused and ready to tackle the sport first triple header – Japan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia – of the season.

“Now we need to understand what happened and next is a triple-header. Hopefully, I can see the chequered flag for the first time this year and we can turn things around in Japan,” he said.

Alonso’s quest for an elusive 33rd career victory – last achieved in 2013 – continues to drive him, even as he languishes at the bottom of the standings, tied with four others and trailing Stroll by 10 points.

For Alonso, this latest chapter is just another hurdle in a storied career.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.