It’s safe to say that Aston Martin’s 2025 Formula 1 campaign didn’t pan out as the Silverstone squad had hoped. After two consecutive years of finishing fifth in the Teams’ Championship, expectations were high that the green machines would continue their upward trajectory or at least hold their ground. Instead, the team slipped to seventh, falling behind the likes of Williams and Racing Bulls, and sparking questions about the effectiveness of their current approach and the promise of their future plans.
From the outset, the season was marked by inconsistency and misfortune, particularly for veteran driver Fernando Alonso. The Spanish two-time world champion, who joined Aston Martin in 2023 with high hopes, endured his most challenging season yet with the team. His 10th-place finish in the Drivers’ Championship, tallying just 56 points, tells only part of the story. Alonso was plagued by technical woes throughout the year, suffering five DNFs—brake failures in China and Mexico, a power unit issue in Monaco, suspension damage in Italy, and a crash in the season opener in Australia. These setbacks often struck when the car showed flashes of promise, compounding the frustration for both driver and team.
Despite these hurdles, Alonso managed to wring every ounce of performance from the AMR25 when conditions allowed. His best moment came at the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 3, 2025, where he finished a hard-fought fifth. That weekend was particularly impressive, as Alonso bounced back from missing the first practice session due to a back injury—reserve Felipe Drugovich even stepped in for FP1—before qualifying fifth and converting that into the team’s top result of the year. As the season wore on, Alonso found a rhythm, scoring points consistently after Round 9, with strong showings in Zandvoort, Singapore, Austin, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. His late-season surge—amassing 30 points after the August break compared to just 7 for his teammate—helped secure his spot in the top ten of the Drivers’ standings.
Lance Stroll, meanwhile, had a campaign best described as underwhelming. The Canadian kicked off 2025 with a promising sixth-place finish in Australia but struggled to maintain that form. Over the course of 24 races, Stroll was out-qualified by Alonso every single time, only escaping Q1 on nine occasions. The race-day head-to-head also favored the Spaniard, with Alonso besting Stroll 16-8. By the August break, both drivers were level on 26 points, but Stroll’s momentum faded as the year progressed. His seventh-place finish in Zandvoort was a rare highlight, but he ultimately finished 16th in the Drivers’ Championship with a total of 33 points.
The team’s low point came at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on September 8, 2025. Alonso, running in seventh after qualifying ninth (elevated to eighth on the grid due to Lewis Hamilton’s penalty), was forced to retire with a suspension failure. The culprit? A piece of gravel kicked up by Lando Norris’ car, which struck the front right push rod on Alonso’s AMR25. Stroll fared little better, finishing last of the classified runners in 18th. It was a weekend that encapsulated the team’s misfortunes and lack of luck—when it rains, it pours.
Between Japan and Monaco, Aston Martin endured a streak of point-less races, with neither driver able to break into the top ten. Stroll’s Miami Sprint result was a small consolation, but the team’s fortunes didn’t truly turn until the mid-season upgrades arrived during the European triple header. These improvements enabled Alonso to string together a series of points finishes, offering a glimmer of hope heading into the summer break.
But let’s not sugarcoat it: Aston Martin’s 2025 was a season of damage limitation. The team made a deliberate decision to shift focus and resources toward their 2026 project, accepting short-term pain for the promise of long-term gain. This strategic pivot was underscored by significant moves on and off the track. Most notably, Adrian Newey—one of the most revered technical minds in Formula 1—joined as Managing Technical Partner at the start of the year. By the Qatar Grand Prix, it was announced that Newey would take over as Team Principal for 2026, succeeding Andy Cowell, who transitions to Chief Strategy Officer to focus on the burgeoning partnership with Honda.
The 2026 season looms large for Aston Martin, with sweeping new regulations set to shake up the competitive order. The team is betting big on their exclusive works partnership with Honda, moving away from Mercedes customer power units for the first time since 2008. The collaboration promises a more integrated package, with the new power unit regulations—featuring active aerodynamics and enhanced electrical power recovery systems—aligning perfectly with Honda’s sustainability objectives. For the first time in over a decade, Aston Martin will develop its own transmission and rear suspension, further cementing its status as a true works team.
Infrastructure has also been a focus. The state-of-the-art Technology Campus in Silverstone, complete with a new wind tunnel and simulator, reached full operational capacity in 2025. This investment is designed to give Aston Martin every technical advantage as they prepare to unleash the AMR26, set for its grand unveiling on February 9, 2026.
Continuity in the driver lineup—Alonso and Stroll are both confirmed for 2026—provides stability as the team navigates this period of transformation. There are, however, questions about whether Newey can balance the dual demands of car design and team leadership. He’s addressed the concern head-on, stating he is “determined not to dilute” his focus on engineering excellence. Only time will tell if this ambitious approach pays off.
The 2025 season may be one Aston Martin fans would rather forget, but it could prove a necessary step back to leap forward. With Newey’s technical wizardry, Honda’s engineering might, and a renewed sense of purpose, the Silverstone outfit has assembled the right ingredients for a genuine assault on the front of the grid. The launch of the AMR26 and the dawn of F1’s new era will reveal whether this calculated gamble delivers the breakthrough they crave. For now, the team regroups, retools, and readies itself for what could be a defining year in its modern history.
