‘We now have some hope’ – How Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin took their alternative in Sepang

Regardless of his P12 beginning place, Fernando Alonso was sceptical about his prospects of ending within the factors forward of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

The Spaniard’s idea was that he could be weak on the straights within the early laps, after which wouldn’t have the tempo with which to regain any misplaced locations.

Nonetheless, rain on an eventful Sunday in Sepang upset his predictions and he ended the race in P8 – regardless of making the fallacious tyre name for the beginning of a Grand Prix that had a couple of surprises in retailer.

Each Aston Martin drivers have retired frequently in 2026, and Alonso mischievously advised that it wasn’t truthful that there was a grid reset after a number of drivers skilled issues on the unique formation lap, noting that “I believe I had 50 per cent DNFs this yr. They by no means stopped the race for us. Yeah, that was fairly unusual!”

When the race finally acquired underway the monitor was moist however drying, and in widespread with McLaren, Ferrari, Alpine, Audi, Cadillac and Haas (with one automobile), Aston opted for slicks, on this case mediums.

“The rain was very a lot appreciated when it comes to alternatives for us,” mentioned Alonso. “And we even began with slicks as a result of we thought that the rain was not anymore there. It took fairly lengthy to restart the race, however I am positive there may be a proof.”

All of the drivers who went for slicks quickly discovered it was a nasty alternative. However whereas his group mate Lance Stroll rapidly deserted them and switched to intermediates, Alonso joined the group who stayed out, primarily hoping {that a} Security Automobile would enable an inexpensive tyre modified and shut up the sector.

Remarkably he even handed his former McLaren group mate Lewis Hamilton as they slithered round and regarded for grip.

In the long run the hoped-for Security Automobile got here, and after the resumption Alonso made regular progress up the order. He made it into the factors when he handed Arvid Lindblad simply earlier than the late VSC that was the second full Security Automobile interval.

Subsequently a retirement for George Russell and a mishap for Lando Norris promoted Alonso to P8, and after the restart he stayed there – safely in entrance of Norris – for the run to the flag.

An Aston Martin holding off the World Champion and a double 2026 race winner was possible not on anybody’s Sepang bingo card…

“I believe it’s the monitor,” mentioned Alonso. “I believe we have been extra aggressive this weekend generally, each vehicles in Q2, and right now preventing within the midfield territory. So yeah, total it was a greater weekend. Let’s have a look at if we will sustain this tempo, particularly in Singapore, the place we have now some hopes subsequent weekend.

“After which there are another weeks that we’re very uncompetitive, and we have now to simply accept it. The weekends that we will rating factors, the vital factor is to execute nicely the race. Immediately, clearly, we began with a slick, so we put ourselves in some difficulties there – however on the finish it was it was okay. After the Security Automobile, we had a brand new race coming.”

Aston Martin’s Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack admitted that the group had merely acquired it fallacious with the tyre alternative.

“I believe we did some good selections, however we did additionally some that had been much less good, and this we have to evaluate clearly,” he mentioned. “We then bailed out [of the slicks] with Lance, with Fernando we continued. We had been simply within the debrief, and he mentioned it did not really feel that unhealthy till the intermediate runners got here and simply flew by.

“However clearly that is one thing we have to undergo. Sure it was scorching, and sure it was drying, however we noticed that fifty per cent of the sector did what we did, however 50 per cent didn’t get it proper. In order that’s one thing we have to clearly take a look at.”

Issues then turned within the group’s favour: “I believe we had been lucky with the Security Automobile to shut up once more, after which it began extra going into a standard race. I believe it was fairly intense, fairly fascinating. Quite a bit occurred.

“An excellent finish on the finish of the day, with a whole lot of incidents that had been most likely masking right here and there. However I mentioned it this morning, alternatives, if they arrive, we do not have the tempo to complete within the factors frequently but. So we have to seize alternative, and I believe that’s what we did right now.”

Regardless of the outcome Krack wasn’t getting too excited, whereas acknowledging that it was encouraging for a group that has confronted such a troublesome time this season.

“I believe, let’s not overlook, three weeks in the past we had been in Madrid, one week in the past we had been in Baku, and we had been simply nowhere,” he mentioned. “I believe we have to maintain our toes on the bottom right here, analyse actually why we had been extra aggressive right here, and look forward and see how we will profit extra from that.

“To be sincere for the group it is nice, as a result of we have now been actually by means of robust instances, and the few optimistic moments that you just get it’s important to – I am not saying have fun like a World Championship occasion – however I believe it’s essential take a breath and acknowledge when good outcomes come your means, as a result of we have now not been lucky sufficient to have many.”