Alonso says Aston Martin ‘too slow’ to matter in Baku

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In a display that could only be described as painfully predictable, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso trudged through yet another disheartening weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The two-time world champion, who was slapped with a five-second penalty for jumping the start, limped home a lonely 15th – but admitted the punishment hardly mattered given the car’s lack of speed.

Alonso’s blunt assessment of the Silverstone-based outfit's performance in Baku underscored the mounting frustration at a squad that seems perpetually stuck in the slow lane.

“I reacted to Oscar’s movement and obviously we both went before the lights unfortunately,” Alonso explained, having served his penalty during a pit-stop.

“I think probably it didn’t change much on the race outcome because we were very, very slow today and we need to improve for the next one.”

Alonso Sees More Pain Ahead

Alonso did not sugarcoat what lies ahead for the AMR25 on the calendar, making it clear that fans shouldn’t expect miracles in the upcoming flyaway rounds.

“I think we have a car that has certain characteristics, not the ones of Monza, not the ones of Baku, and I think not the ones of Vegas or Mexico, so I expect in Vegas and Mexico to be at the back of the grid,” the 44-year-old warned.

“There are another four races that hopefully we take opportunities [in] and we score a few points.”

In other words: enjoy the rare scraps when they come, because the lean spells look set to continue.

Stroll No Better as Team’s Slide Continues

Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll fared no better, crossing the checkered flag a miserable 17th and seeing Aston Martin slip behind in the Constructors’ standings — now seventh overall. The Canadian admitted the team’s strategy gamble was a bust.

“We just stayed out for a long time hoping for a Safety Car on the first stint and then it never came, so that was kind of the end of our race,” Stroll admitted.

With Singapore next on the calendar, Stroll could only muster some cautious optimism: “Hopefully Singapore we’re more competitive and we can have a better weekend there.”

Once billed as the team on the rise, Aston Martin have become specialists in Sunday afternoon irrelevance. Alonso, once renowned for extracting miracles from midfield machinery, can now barely scrape the top 10.

Unless the team uncovers hidden performance soon, the green cars may find themselves battling not McLaren and Ferrari, but the ignominy of the backmarkers they once promised to leave behind.

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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.