Fernando Alonso’s Italian Grand Prix experience was nothing short of a heart-wrenching saga, punctuated by an exasperating “2025.” That was his one-word encapsulation of a race marred by misfortune and mechanical failure—a stark reminder of the trials he has endured throughout this season.
As a two-time World Champion, Alonso’s 2023 campaign has been fraught with challenges. It began with an agonizing streak of eight races where he found himself outside the points, culminating in a catastrophic engine failure in Monaco while he was fighting for a top-six finish. Yet, the tenacity of the 44-year-old Spaniard shone through as he rallied back, securing points in six of the subsequent seven races. His impressive performance in Hungary, where he clinched a season-best fifth place, momentarily lifted the spirits of Aston Martin and positioned them at sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.
However, hope quickly turned to despair during the Italian Grand Prix when tragedy struck on lap 25. Just as Alonso was battling for seventh place, a front-right suspension failure abruptly sidelined him, dashing any aspirations for a solid finish. “Suspension failure, this is unbelievable,” he lamented as he navigated back to the pits, only to park his car in frustration.
Alonso revealed the mechanics of his downfall in an interview, stating, “The suspension seems to have broken, and we had to retire. It’s a kerb we had been using all weekend and that cars are still using in the race, so we’ll have to analyze what happened.” This failure was not just a technical mishap; it symbolized the heartbreak of lost potential points—points that could have significantly altered the narrative of his season.
The stakes were high, and the cost was steep—14 precious points lost this season due to a series of unfortunate events, including the engine failure in Monaco and the suspension mishap in Monza. “Six. Exactly six,” Alonso reflected on the points slipped away in Italy. “I was seventh. I don’t think many cars could have overtaken us. We were just as fast or faster than them.” He recounted the cruel twists of fate: “Six points here, eight points in Monaco when I was sixth and we broke the engine… today when we were seventh the suspension broke. That’s points bad luck is taking away from us.”
Despite the setbacks, Alonso remains resolute, stating, “We don’t have any aspirations this year, simply fighting in the Constructors’ Championship, trying to help the team finish as high as possible.” However, he added a poignant note about the situation: “On merit, I think we should have 20 more points than we do. If we haven’t scored them, it’s been because of our mistakes or bad luck.”
Aston Martin currently finds itself just a solitary point ahead of Racing Bulls, with Sauber trailing by six. As the season trudges on, Alonso’s commitment to perfection shines through, as he insists, “We try to do the job perfectly every weekend and from there move on to the next one.”
As the dust settles on Monza, one thing is clear: Alonso’s journey is far from over, but his poignant declaration of “2025” serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that lie ahead. The question looms—will this season’s heartbreak transform into a formidable comeback in the future? The racing world is watching closely.
