Fernando Alonso Fires Back at Critics: “Aston Martin Has Been Very Badly Treated”

The 2026 Formula 1 season has been an absolute nightmare for Aston Martin, and honestly, that might be the understatement of the year. The Silverstone-based squad has endured an incredibly difficult start to the campaign, fielding an AMR26 chassis that has consistently languished towards the back of the grid.

Recently in Barcelona, Fernando Alonso didn’t mince words, brutally calling the AMR26 the “worst car” with the “worst engine” on the grid. So naturally, the summer silly season rumors have kicked into overdrive.

With his longtime former manager, Flavio Briatore, allegedly pulling the strings over at Alpine, the paddock whispers heavily linked Alonso to a sensational return to Team Enstone, while others suggested he might just retire entirely. But ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, the two-time World Champion explicitly shut down the noise and went to bat for his garage.

Alonso on Defense

During the Austrian GP press conference, Alonso opened up about the relentless social media mockery and the rumors about his future. When a team drops to the back of the grid, the internet can be a brutally unforgiving place, and Alonso believes the negativity has completely crossed the line.

“We’re an easy target because we’re behind and there are lots of jokes and memes on social media,” Alonso noted. “We’ve been VERY BADLY TREATED by the outside world”.

Despite the current pain on the timing sheets, Alonso firmly believes the massive structural investments at Silverstone will eventually pay off.

He pointed out the sheer manpower working tirelessly behind the scenes to rectify the chassis issues, explaining, “The problems get fixed, it’s a matter of time. There are 1000 people at Aston Martin who work 8 hours a day to fix it”.

Loyalty Over Panic

But beyond addressing the critics, Alonso made it abundantly clear that he isn’t jumping ship just because the current car is an absolute handful.

“There are always rumors in the summer. I believe in the project, I trust my team, and we’re in this together,” Alonso stated. He reinforced that his commitment to the British marque extends well beyond his driving days, emphasizing that they still have the “best of the best” working on the project.

The feeling of loyalty is entirely mutual inside the factory. Aston Martin’s team brass recently praised Alonso for the way he has handled the immense adversity this year, officially signalling the team’s intention to continue the partnership well beyond 2026. Addressing the swirling retirement and transfer rumors, chief trackside officer Mike Krack confirmed that the squad has great hopes to continue working together, stating simply that Alonso is still “too quick” to walk away from the sport.

Until the highly anticipated aerodynamic upgrades finally arrive, Alonso is choosing to strap in, fight through the brutal handling, and completely shut down any idea that he is looking for the exit door.