Alonso warns Aston will be ‘last car’ at key races

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin must brace for more painful weekends after leaving Baku without points.

The Spaniard started 11th and admitted he needed chaos to climb into the top ten, but instead endured a quiet race. "That was a given. Nothing happened to the suspension today," he said wryly on DAZN, referring to his Monza retirement that the team blamed on gravel damage.

"With this type of car, we knew we were going to be the last car here. In Las Vegas we're going to be the last car, in Mexico we're going to be the last car. Of the eight races left, we'll be last in three. We just have to get through them."

Alonso said Aston’s main weakness is straight-line speed, with high drag wiping out the benefits of recent high-downforce upgrades.

"On tracks with long straights, we're behind," he admitted. By contrast, he sees opportunities on tighter circuits. "On others like Singapore or Brazil, there are small opportunities. That’s why Zandvoort and Monza hurt so much when we lost points there."

Even so, the 44-year-old vowed to take his chances when the car allows. "We enjoy it when we can make the difference. When the car decides the result, you just have to put up with it too," he concluded.