Fernando Alonso has expressed his surprise at the relentless development race unfolding in Formula 1, noting how quickly rival teams are producing upgrades while Aston Martin takes a more patient – and potentially more ambitious – route.
As teams scramble to extract performance from the radically changed 2026 regulations, the upgrade battle has become almost as intense as the fight on track.
Ferrari made a significant move in Barcelona, while Red Bull arrived in Austria with a sizeable package of its own. Cadillac also featured prominently on the FIA’s list of updates, adding a long catalogue of performance-related changes.
Aston Martin, meanwhile, has resisted the temptation to chase every incremental gain, choosing instead to focus resources on a larger package being developed under the technical direction of Adrian Newey.
That strategy has left Alonso watching rivals arrive race after race with fresh parts – and wondering aloud how they are managing such an aggressive development schedule within Formula 1’s financial restrictions.
'Maybe they have a money machine at the factory’
When asked whether he supported Aston Martin’s decision to step away from the constant upgrade battle, Alonso offered a typically sharp response, questioning the apparent ability of some teams to keep producing new components.
“I didn’t agree, but apparently there is no money to bring upgrades, unlimited upgrades, like the other teams do,” Alonso told reporters in Austria.
The two-time world champion then turned his attention to the sheer volume of new parts appearing in official FIA documentation every weekend.
“It’s surprising to see the FIA page on Friday every race. Maybe be they have the money machine in the minus one [floor] in the factory,” he added, tongue-in-cheek.
While the comment was delivered with a hint of irony, it clearly reflected Alonso’s genuine surprise at the speed of development across the grid.
Under the cost cap, teams are restricted in how much they can spend, yet the stream of new aerodynamic and mechanical updates has remained constant.
Bigger gamble the right one for Aston Martin
Despite his pointed remarks, Alonso made clear that he has not lost faith in Aston Martin’s decision to delay smaller upgrades in favour of a more substantial transformation.
“No, I didn’t question it, because obviously we don’t know exactly the cost cap limitations and how much is going to change in the car, and the time that was needed to understand the problems,” he clarified.
“When you take all that to the table, you start programming the upgraded package, and obviously it takes time.
©Aston Martin
“After missing Barcelona and being in Bahrain with a bad first test and knowing our situation in Australia, which back then we didn’t know if we could complete the race, that was the uncomfortable truth that we found in Australia.
“The decision was made, and I think it’s the right decision.
“For us, it doesn’t change to bring three or four tenths in a couple of grand prix, and still be fighting at the back. We need something bigger than that.
“Everyone in the factory is working flat-out, and we need to give credit to them. We don’t know yet the results, and we don’t see the result yet, but we cannot underestimate Aston Martin as much as has been done in the last few weeks.”
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Alonso’s defence comes at a difficult moment for Aston Martin, which has struggled for competitiveness during the opening stages of the season.
The Spaniard has scored the team’s only point so far with a 10th-place finish in Monaco, while also feeling unhappy with what he believes has been excessive criticism of the squad’s struggles.
But with Newey’s influence shaping Aston Martin’s longer-term recovery plan, the 44-year-old insists that judging the team solely on its current position could prove premature.
For now, the veteran driver can only watch as rivals continue to flood the paddock with upgrades – and wait to see whether Aston Martin’s decision to hold back ultimately delivers a bigger reward.
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