Fernando Alonso reveals secret of Aston Martin’s superb F1 qualifying in Hungary

From being the slowest cars on the grid in Spa-Francorchamps last weekend, the Aston Martins qualified in the top 10 in Hungary – just one-tenth of a second off pole position

Aston Martin is a rare sight in Q3 this season. Until this weekend, Fernando Alonso had reached the final phase of a 2025 Formula 1 qualifying session just four times, team-mate Lance Stroll only once.

Only at Imola back in May have both cars started in the top 10. In Spa the Aston Martins were slowest of all in qualifying, both eliminated in Q1, and Stroll only started from 16th because four drivers in front of him (including Alonso) changed set-ups in parc ferme, dictating a pitlane start.

So it was remarkable to see, just a week later, both cars pass assuredly through to Q3 – and not only that, to be fifth and sixth on the grid, a little over one-tenth of a second off the pacesetting Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

Naturally the nattering nabobs of the internet have been quick to suggest that ‘managing technical partner’ Adrian Newey has been put in a headlock and, against his wishes, sprinkled some fairy dust on the troubled AMR25 car.

Actually, as Alonso was quick to point out, it was a case of the track suiting the car and conditions playing to its strengths on the day.

“I would say that it's track characteristics, to be honest,” said Alonso. “We didn't change the car massively since Spa seven days ago. No new parts for anybody to this race.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

“Just the layout, the characteristics of the circuit are just suiting our car, apparently – and it would be nice to understand this, why the car is operating in this sweet spot here because if we understand that, we can use it in the next few races.”

At Spa, Aston Martin evaluated a new front wing on Alonso’s car during practice, with a view to adopting it on circuits with mid-to-high-level downforce requirements. The target, as team principal and CEO Andy Cowell explained at the time, was to improve airflow quality to the underfloor, diffuser and lower beam element of the rear wing, benefitting overall efficiency.

Since the beginning of the season the AMR25 has been notably poor on the straights, and not particularly good at managing rear-tyre temperatures despite having a weak front end with a tendency towards understeer. Many of the upgrades, including a new floor at Imola which was tweaked again for the British GP, have been targeted at improving this fundamental inefficiency.

The Hungaroring, where the cars spend relatively little time at full throttle in a straight line, is less punishing to an inefficient car than fast, flowing Spa – hence Alonso’s reticence to view this weekend as transformative. Another concern is Aston’s tendency to go backwards in races – in Spain, Alonso talked about the team needing to rebalance its efforts towards Sunday race pace rather than qualifying performance.

These reservations remain.

“I think it [Sunday’s race] is going to be difficult, to be honest,” said Alonso. “I would like if we can finish in the same positions as we start. Fifth and sixth will be lovely in terms of points for the team before summer break, and that will be the first target.

“We need to understand as well that there are some threats from behind, some fast cars. Max [Verstappen] is starting behind [in eighth], Lewis [Hamilton, 12th] as well, so it's not going to be easy.”