Fernando Alonso defends Aston Martin over "borderline abuse" by social media

Fernando Alonso has moved to clarify his commitment to Aston Martin while criticising what he described as ‘borderline abuse’ directed at the team on social media during a deeply difficult start to the Formula 1 season.

After seven rounds, the Silverstone-based squad has scored just one point, inherited following Sergio Perez’s post-race penalty at the Monaco Grand Prix. That underperformance has made Aston Martin one of the central talking points of the campaign, particularly in its first year in partnership with Honda.

The situation has also intensified speculation over Alonso’s future, with the Spanish driver recently linked with a possible return to Alpine. Aston Martin, however, has continued to project confidence around its long-term direction, a position also reflected in recent reporting on how the team remains confident Fernando Alonso will stay beyond 2026.

Asked about the rumours, Alonso was direct. “There are always rumours,” he said, before acknowledging why Aston Martin has become such an easy target. “We’ve been very badly treated by the outside world, and it’s normal; we are underperforming. We are in a bad moment, and when summer break comes, there are always rumours.”

Commitment Beyond the Cockpit

Alonso insisted his relationship with Aston Martin runs deeper than his current role as a race driver. He pointed to the wider structure of the project, including Honda and Adrian Newey, while admitting the team has started from a weak position.

“My commitment with Aston Martin is beyond my driving time, and I believe in this project,” Alonso said. “We have the right people, we have, obviously, the best of the best with Adrian Newey, we have Honda, we started on the back foot, yes, we understand that.”

The two-time F1 drivers’ champion argued that the criticism has crossed a line, particularly when aimed at the people working inside the organisation. “There is all this social media, and all these things, and jokes that you can put on ourselves, probably that’s borderline abuse on social media,” he added.

Upgrade Patience Remains the Plan

Alonso also defended Aston Martin’s decision to delay performance-focused upgrades, despite external scrutiny. According to him, the team agreed in Australia to wait until a package was worthwhile from a performance and cost-efficiency perspective.

“I believe in the project. I trust my team, and we are all in this together,” he said. “We wait in the best manner possible.”

For Alonso, the message is clear: Aston Martin is struggling, but not fractured.