Fernando Alonso admits Imola and Monaco have been a "big wake-up call" for Aston Martin

Aston Martin racer Fernando Alonso has admitted that the last two races in Imola and Monaco have been a major wake-up call for them. The British team introduced a major upgrade to the car in Imola and was expected to make gains towards the front of the grid. Unfortunately, this has not happened.

In fact, on the contrary, the team seems to have gone backwards, with Alonso enduring two sub-par weekends. He had a poor qualifying session in Imola, which meant he couldn't do much in the race, finishing 19th. In Monaco, he was unlucky with traffic, which cost him, though he improved from the race at Imola to finish 11th.

These two races were a departure from a start to the season that saw him battling Mercedes regularly and scoring some points for Aston Martin in impressive fashion. This was primarily seen in China and Jeddah, where he fended off George Russell's Mercedes on both occasions.

Talking to Autosport after the Monaco GP, Fernando Alonso admitted that the last two races have been a wake-up call for Aston Martin. He said:

"These two weekends have been crucial to understand our weaknesses, to understand the car, to improve. In the difficulties you always draw more conclusions than in the victories, so we are learning a lot I think for the rest of the year, 2025 and 2026. These two races have been a big wake-up call and it will be very good for us."

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Fernando Alonso expects a few more races before any improvement

When questioned about the timeline of improvement for the car, Fernando Alonso admitted that it would take a few more races before Aston Martin gets on top of its issues. The team, after starting the season as a regular points contender, has not improved since the upgrade package in Imola.

Talking about the team's recovery, Alonso said:

"We had some doubts after Imola and in Monaco that we didn't manage to go fast, and we have to try to change this trend. It will take us a few races until we introduce a significant improvement in the car, but until then we have to give everything and we have to improve on the track to get the results. There will be better days, worse days and we have to be united."

The last few races have seen RB close the gap to Aston Martin in the constructors' championship. RB is currently sixth with 24 points, only 20 behind the British team in fifth place. Both teams are, however, some distance away from fourth-placed Mercedes (96 points).

Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, is ninth in the drivers' standings with 33 points, nine behind Lewis Hamilton in eighth place.