Are Aston Martin F1 drivers being ignored? Fernando Alonso clarifies Adrian Newey comments

Fernando Alonso has explained what Adrian Newey meant when he said Aston Martin has been guilty of not consulting enough with its Formula 1 drivers. 

Speaking at Aston Martin’s Silverstone factory prior to the British Grand Prix, team principal and technical director Newey admitted his side had not listened to its drivers enough when developing its F1 car. 

It was a surprise admission from Newey, who acknowledged it had been “extremely frustrating” for Alonso and team-mate Lance Stroll to not be able to compete amid the team’s performance and reliability woes during a nightmare 2026 season. 

"Whilst it might not seem like it, we are very much listening to their comments and trying to act upon it," Newey told media including Crash.net at Silverstone. "If people don't feel as if they're being heard then they of course get very frustrated; it's human reactions.

"So perhaps we've been guilty of not spending enough time with Fernando and Lance, Jak [Crawford, reserve driver], kind of going through exactly what we are trying to achieve with the upgrade package."

Alonso was asked about Newey’s comments ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Aston Martin is debuting a hugely-anticipated upgrade package. 

“To Adrian's comments, I think it's more in the past,” two-time world champion Alonso said during Thursday’s press conference in Budapest. 

“I think in the past, it's true that we sometimes had different opinions on the race weekends, in terms of feeling, weaknesses of the car when we were racing with other cars, what we felt behind the wheel. 

“Sometimes when you go back at the factory and you see the data you discover things have misbehaved on the aero that maybe were pointing the direction of the car in two different ways. 

“Maybe the data was the winner on those debates. I think Adrian is a type of designer that listens to both sides. Data for sure, but also what the drivers feel. 

“Formula 1 is a very complex sport, very dynamic. It changes every lap, You never have the same fuel load, you never have the same tyre age, you never have the same wind conditions. If you're following a car, if you're alone on track, there are many, many different things that can  affect the balance of the car. 

"That's why data is not 100% the truth. I think you need to combine both things and Adrian has the best experience in the world to design a car and to develop a car, and I think we are in a good path.” 

Newey will provide best F1 car 'sooner or later'

While he moved to downplay expectations surrounding Aston Martin’s B-spec 2026 F1 car, Alonso insisted he has full confidence in Newey, the wider team, and engine supplier Honda to turn things around. 

“I think I have a pretty clear picture of the team that we will fix all the problems,” he added. “They take time, but I have zero doubts that Adrian will provide the best car on the grid sooner or later. 

“I would like to see the first step with this package, with understanding after the first couple of races, and I think there's going to be more to come next year, that's that's for sure, and the years to come. 

“On the power unit, I think I have no doubts as well. It's a matter of time that Honda fixes the issues because it's what they've been doing for the last 40 years of racing. 

“We started started on the back foot, yes. We are dealing with with that process now and that pain on the weekends, but we are working all together to fix the issues. 

“It's just how soon the car will be competitive. That’s the question mark. Maybe the next two races will give us a little bit of a feeling for that, but I'm relaxed.”

Alonso, whose F1 future remains uncertain with his contract expiring at the end of the year, reiterated that the success of Aston Martin’s upgrade will not sway his decision either way. 

“As I said many times, I'm thinking I need to to know what I do next year and the years to come. I feel fresh, I feel motivated, I feel fast but I need to enjoy also what I do,” he explained. 

“As I said at Spa, I think Silverstone Grand Prix and Spa, it was not fun to drive. I think it's not fun to watch, it's not fun to drive, and we've been repeating the same thing every single Grand Prix. 

“It's not to criticise anything, it's just to improve all together the sport. I think the direction that we took this year, I think from the driver side, I don't know from the spectator side, but behind the cockpit, it's not the same adrenaline that I used to have driving a Formula 1 car. 

“So that's something that I need to put in the table. It's not a problem of the competitiveness of the team, it's just a problem if Formula 1 gives me the adrenaline that I need to to live.”