How Alonso and Aston Martin took their opportunity in Sepang

Fernando Alonso began the Sepang race from P12 expecting little chance of scoring. He feared Aston Martin would be vulnerable on the straights early on, then lack the pace to recover any lost ground. Instead, rain and a series of race interruptions helped him secure eighth place — despite starting on the wrong tyres.

Slicks gamble leaves Alonso exposed

The slicks quickly proved difficult to manage. Lance Stroll pitted for intermediates, while Alonso stayed out, hoping a Safety Car would let him change tyres without losing as much time and bring the field closer together. He even passed former McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton as both struggled for grip.

A Safety Car eventually gave Alonso the reset he needed. After the restart, he moved steadily forward and entered the points by passing Arvid Lindblad shortly before a late Virtual Safety Car became a second full Safety Car period. Retirements and incidents involving George Russell and Lando Norris then lifted him to P8. Alonso held the position after the final restart, keeping Norris behind to the flag.

The result was a striking return for a team that has endured a difficult campaign. Aston Martin’s wider struggles have made every scoring opportunity valuable, and the Sepang finish rewarded persistence after an imperfect opening call.

Krack calls for a review, not celebration

Alonso credited the circuit for the team’s stronger weekend, noting that both Aston Martin cars reached Q2 and were able to fight in the midfield. He also stressed that competitiveness had varied from one event to another, making execution crucial whenever points were within reach. After the Safety Car, he said, “we had a new race coming.”

Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack conceded that the tyre decision needed review. Stroll switched to intermediates, but Alonso continued on slicks; in the debrief, the Spaniard said the tyres had not felt too bad until the intermediate runners began passing quickly.

Krack said the Safety Car helped Aston Martin close up, while the race’s incidents created an opportunity for a team that does not yet have the pace to score regularly. He welcomed the result but cautioned against drawing broad conclusions from one weekend. After difficult outings in Madrid and Baku, Aston Martin will analyse why it was more competitive at Sepang and how it can build on that performance.

For Alonso, P8 was not the product of a flawless strategy. It was a points finish shaped by changing conditions, a timely Safety Car and a recovery drive that turned an early mistake into a valuable result.