Fernando Alonso admits Aston Martin's slip in Formula 1 rankings

Aston Martin, a contender for regular podium finishes last F1 season, have hit a rough patch, leaving Alonso and his teammates grappling for answers. With just four championship points secured in the last three races, the Silverstone-based squad find themself struggling to keep pace with rivals.

Comparing the current season to the previous one reveals a stark contrast in performance. Twelve months ago, Aston Martin was basking in the glory of six podium finishes in the first eight rounds.

Fast forward to now, and they have not managed a single top-three result in the same time-frame, accumulating 110 fewer points than in 2023.

The resurgence of the Red Bull sister squad, RB, have further compounded Aston Martin's woes. With three consecutive races yielding points for RB, Alonso reluctantly acknowledges the team's slip in the rankings. "Looking at the results, we are not anymore in the top five group," he candidly admitted.

The struggle on the track is mirrored by the challenges faced by Aston Martin's AMR24 car.

Alonso recognizes the increased difficulty in extracting performance from this year's model. "The cars this year, they are a little bit more critical in the search for more downforce and more performance," he explained.

"Maybe it's our case as well, and we can't extract the extra downforce."

Despite the setbacks, Alonso remains optimistic, seeing each race weekend as an opportunity for growth. "We are learning a lot on these difficult weekends, hopefully we get better," he remarked, rallying his team for the challenges ahead.

The next battleground for Aston Martin is the Canadian Grand Prix, slated for the weekend of June 7-9. Set against the backdrop of the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, this race promises excitement and intrigue as Aston Martin strives to reclaim its position among the Formula 1 elite.