Following a hugely disappointing season, Fernando Alonso cites the lack of time in Mercedes wind tunnel as being a significant factor.

Finishing fifth in the team standings might have looked good on paper - considering the strength of the 'big four' - but the fact that Aston Martin was 374 points down on (fourth-placed) Mercedes reveals just how dire the British team's season really was.

Though there were points finishes in the opening four races, and Canada - one of only four occasions when both drivers scored points - was arguably the best (team) performance of the year, the second half of the season saw the team battling for scraps, while Lance Stroll failed to score a single point after the summer break.

Indeed, it was hard to believe that this was the same team that scored six podiums in the opening eight races of 2023 and though still finishing fifth was only 22 points down on fourth-placed McLaren.

The recruitment of Adrian Newey offers hope for the future, as does the new partnership with Honda, but reflecting on a miserable 2024, Alonso believes the close ties to Mercedes were partly to blame for his outfit's struggles.

Other than the Mercedes power unit, Aston Martin relied on its German rival for its gearbox and also its wind-tunnel, where, understandably, time was limited.

"It's not an easy solution or an easy answer, because if not, probably we will do it a little bit easier than what we have found," the Spaniard told the Chequered Flag podcast.

"I think a problem of understanding a little bit the insides of the car, some of the wind tunnel problems that I think also Mercedes faced last year, in terms of developing the car," he added. "Our wind tunnel usage is a little bit limited by using the Mercedes tunnel."

Thankfully, the team's own new windtunnel comes on-stream this year, and while it will be too late to assist the team's 2025 contender it will be at Newey's disposal for the 2026 car.

Indeed, team boss Mike Krack can hardly wait.

"We will have Yoda soon helping us and his force, so nothing can go wrong for 2026," he says in a recent team Q&A on YouTube.

LATEST NEWS

more news >

LATEST IMAGES

galleries >

Click to go to the main galleries section

READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Wokingchap, 03/01/2025 13:26

"McLaren have improved immensely since starting to use their new Woking Wind tunnel. If thats anything to go by i'm expecting miracles from AM, especially with Mr.Newey in the mix....... not immediately of course."

Rating: Positive (1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

2. Posted by Mad Matt, 03/01/2025 13:15

"As far as I understand it each team is limited on wind tunnel testing hours to such a degree that Aston Martin could easily do all of the wind tunnel testing they were allowed to... if they wanted it.

I think they went from unlimited 24 hour testing, to 65 slots a week and recently they get 40 runs a week (with a bit more for the lower teams and a bit less for the top teams)."

Rating: Neutral (0) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

3. Posted by Chester, 03/01/2025 12:02

"@MossMan, if true, it would appear the regulations clamping down on Schumacher/Ferrari style extreme level of testing has claimed another victim."

Rating: Neutral (0) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

4. Posted by MossMan, 03/01/2025 10:45

"@Chester - I saw somewhere that one of the teams decided not to maintain/recalibrate the rolling road during a season since it would eat in to available windtunnel hours, and that caused a lot of inaccurate output which were fed back into the aero modelling. I think that might have been Mercedes and their porpoising."

Rating: Positive (1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

5. Posted by kenji, 03/01/2025 1:25

"Lotsa top chefs in the AM kitchen!!! Let's hope that they can all get on together as recipes are jealously held close."

Rating: Positive (1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

6. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 02/01/2025 21:44

"If the new wind tunnel is calibrated correctly and with Newey floating around the place like tinker bell spreading his magic dust I would predict we should see AM start to get punchy after the mid point of the '25 season. Assuming of course they come out of the gate limping. Definitely one of the teams to watch out for but having said that, its a good bet the car is going to cater to Lance (such a waste) and Alonso will have to make due while Junior bins it into anything around him.

While I'm at it, that Haas partnership with Toyota will be interesting to watch to see if anything comes of it as well."

Rating: Positive (2) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

7. Posted by Chester, 02/01/2025 19:36

"Did not know they relied on the Mar-cedes wind tunnel. Judging by how the Mercedes performance swung wildly from track to track, I'm not sure I'd want anything to do with their aerodynamic tools."

Rating: Negative (-1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

8. Posted by Wokingchap, 02/01/2025 17:38

"That's right, blame everything else except Lance."

Rating: Positive (2) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

9. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 02/01/2025 14:24

"So AMF1's '25 car is likely to be mid pack at best? Set the bar low before even the first test."

Rating: Positive (4) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

Alonso rues lack of Mercedes wind tunnel time

LATEST NEWS

RELATED ARTICLES

LATEST IMAGES

POST A COMMENT

Post your comment

READERS COMMENTS

Share this page