Alonso: “The Lap Was Almost Perfect and It Wasn’t Enough”

Fernando Alonso left the Sprint qualifying of the Singapore Grand Prix with a mix of satisfaction and frustration. The Asturian Aston Martin driver managed to advance to SQ2 where he set a lap that he himself described as "almost perfect" but that was not enough to get among the top ten; Alonso finished fifteenth just four tenths from the cut, a result that although it reflects the AMR26's progress on high-downforce circuits, leaves a bitter taste for the lost opportunity.

"If I'm honest I think the SQ2 lap was almost perfect. Good enough to be in SQ3 but being so far back is somewhat disappointing, I thought the quality of the lap was somewhat better" Fernando Alonso declared after the session. The Asturian had placed great hopes in Marina Bay, a circuit that unlike Monza  or Baku, prioritizes aerodynamic load and chassis over engine power. The improvements introduced by Adrian Newey in the AMR26 have allowed Aston Martin to take a step forward on this type of layout and Alonso trusted in being able to take advantage of it.

The day began with good sensations, in the free practice Alonso finished fourteenth on medium tires without improving his time in the final moments. In SQ1 the Asturian was able to materialize a fast lap before Sergio Pérez caused a red flag that harmed several drivers, Alonso advanced to SQ2 in thirteenth position aware that the rivals coming from behind could be more competitive and so it was. In SQ2, after the FIA's problems with the overtaking mode, Alonso tried again but his practically perfect lap was not enough, the Alpines and Racing Bulls made a leap in quality that left the Spaniard out of the fight for SQ3.

Despite the disappointment, Alonso highlighted the car's good behavior and the short distance with the midfield: "The truth is that the track has had a lot of grip, the dust has not been a problem and the car has felt very good although some understeer that we have not resolved between free practice 1 and qualifying so there we have work to do" he explained.

The Asturian was also clear about the AMR26's limitations: "Apart from that, the car is almost in the window, we lack aerodynamic load and here it can be a penalty but we are also still lacking power on the straights" he added.

Aston Martin team faces the rest of the weekend with the need to find quick solutions, Saturday's Sprint will be an opportunity to evaluate the AMR26's race pace and the qualifying for the Grand Prix will define whether the team can stay in the fight for points.

Fernando Alonso with his experience and his ability to adapt will continue working to squeeze the maximum out of a car that, despite its limitations, has proven to be competitive on circuits like Marina Bay. The objective remains to score points and close the season with good sensations before facing the great challenge of 2027.