Alonso makes stark admission over Aston Martin form

Fernando Alonso has conceded that Aston Martin is no longer a top five team in the Formula 1 pecking order.

The Silverstone-based squad has endured a difficult run of events, scoring just four championship points in the last three races.

Aston Martin has endured a more challenging start to the current campaign compared to 12 months ago, when it bagged six podiums in the opening eight rounds.

It is yet to secure a top-three result in the same period this year, scoring 110 fewer points compared to 2023.

RB currently sits 20 points behind Aston Martin in the constructors' championship having enjoyed a trio of point-scoring races at the previous three events.

The Red Bull sister squad's uptick in form has left Alonso to acknowledge his team has slipped behind.

“Looking at the results, we are not anymore in the top five group,” Alonso told media including RacingNews365. 

“But that’s a question for Mike [Krack, Aston Martin team principal].”

'More on the edge'

The AMR24 has struggled on track compared to its predecessor, with Alonso issuing a rallying call to his team for the coming races.

When asked to assess the strengths and weaknesses of this year's car compared to last season, the Spaniard replied: “It’s difficult to say.

“I think the cars this year, they are a little bit more critical in the search for more downforce and more performance.

“The car is a little bit more on the edge in terms of driving. Maybe cars have become more difficult to drive for everybody.

“Maybe it's our case as well and we can’t extract the extra downforce but we are learning a lot on these difficult weekends, hopefully we get better.”