Alonso and Sainz, worst start to a season since 2019
After a difficult start to the season, expectations for the Spanish drivers must be revised downwards. With Alonso having to contend with the limitations of Aston Martin and Sainz still adjusting at Williams, the next few races do not augur well.
Given the lukewarm start to this season, it is necessary to adjust our expectations towards the Spanish drivers. Alonso has no points, his worst start since the McLaren Honda era (2015-2017). And Sainz has not fully exploited the strengths of the Williams, scoring a mere point while his teammate, Albon, has not left the top 10.
The stagnation at Aston Martin
The Aston Martin offers little more than in previous years. The upcoming developments will be minimal, with more focus on Miami and Imola. The AMR25 is one of the single-seaters that has seen the least improvements in lap times over the past twelve months.
Alonso told the AS newspaper in Suzuka: « The points are an impossible task with our performance, and we should not demand points from ourselves because we have what we have. » The die is cast, a grayish season awaits the drivers. Newey is focusing almost exclusively on the 2026 car, and there is already quite a stir in the British press urging the star engineer not to discard 2025. This situation is largely understandable: the factory is running at a slow pace, with the engineers and mechanics not having really prepared a package for a year.
Adaptation and Patience at Williams
For Sainz, there is hope, and a little patience is needed. The Madrid native dominated the pre-season tests in Sakhir and managed to optimize the car’s performance almost effortlessly. The problem arose when certain characteristics emerged in the single-seater. Modifications have been made recently, and in Japan, he was 0.53 thousandths of a second behind Albon, a much better time compared to the first races.
This season, reaching Q3 is essential to aim for points, with Racing Bull and Haas ready to destroy everything. Carlos must quickly find his bearings to be at the top of his game. « I continue to drive like a Williams should, rather than how I’d like to drive a Formula 1. I am not 100% comfortable and I think a lot while driving », he said. His boss, James Vowles, hopes that within two Grand Prix, his number 55 will be on track to start fighting.
